What's happening
This bill creates a grant program to fund comprehensive security systems, including threat detection, in all New York schools.
Why it matters
Directs funding to all types of schools. public, private, and parochial—ensuring that improved security measures aren’t limited by school governance or funding structure, which could help address disparities in safety resources among schools.
Focuses on advanced security technologies. such as “quick capacity smart sensor threat detection” and “360 degree security awareness,” indicating an emphasis on proactive, technology-driven approaches to identifying threats and managing emergencies in real time.
Specifies limits on administrative and training expenses. , mandating that no more than 5% of grant funds can be used for each, which could increase the likelihood that the majority of funds are spent directly on security measures rather than overhead or non-infrastructure costs.
Includes provisions for equitable distribution in case of limited funding. , requiring prorated grants if appropriations are insufficient, which could prevent some schools from being left out entirely when resources are tight, but may also mean scaled-back improvements if demand exceeds supply.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Fund School Security Upgrades
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7875
IN SENATE
March 6, 2018
Introduced by Sen. GOLDEN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the comprehensive school security grant program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 411 to read as follows:
§ 411. Comprehensive school security grant program. 1. Within amounts appropriated for the installation and operation of comprehensive security systems in every school of the state, the commissioner is hereby authorized and directed to award grants to every public, parochial and private school in the state. Such grants shall be for the total capital costs of quick capacity smart sensor threat detection, and 360 degree security awareness including services, expenses and indirect costs. Grantees receiving funding pursuant to this subdivision may expend no more than five percent of grants for administration and no more than five percent for grantee training.
2. In the event the appropriation for the purposes of this section in any year is insufficient to pay all claims pursuant to this subdivision, the commissioner shall pay such claims on a prorated basis among all schools filing such claims until the appropriation is exhausted.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15016-01-8
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to the comprehensive school security grant program
Purpose
This bill would authorize the State Commissioner of Education to provide grants to every preschool, elementary, middle and high school in the State, whether public or private, to install quick capacity threat detection and 360-degree security hardware equipment and concomitant software.
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill would, subject to appropriation, allow the administration of every school in the State to install comprehensive security to interdict or at worst, intercede as quickly as possible, any possession of a firearm or explosive device in or around any school in New York State.
Section two provides for an immediate effective date.
Justification
Unfortunately, our schools, and the State's most precious asset, its children, are now the easiest soft target for those that would wish to perform the most egregious and terror producing acts. It is the respon- sibility of the State of New York to do every reasonable act in its power to protect these students and their teachers.
This bill authorizes the Commissioner of the State Education Department to provide full funding for high capacity weapons detection and compre- hensive security communications to make it as difficult as possible to conduct terror operations against our children. Each of the 6,500 schools in the State could take advantage of these advanced security systems if so desired by the administration of public school boards or the board of directors of private and charter schools.
Funding for the program could come from the existing Smart School Bond Act of 2014 funds or additional capital appropriations as needed
Legislative history
This is a new bill.
Fiscal implications
Every school in the State can be hardened for no more than a billion dollars.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.