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A8701Assembly2019-2020 SessionSame asS4008

Require Student Governments

Official title

“Relates to including student governments in student organizations in all secondary schools”

Sponsor David BuchwaldAD-93Affects Education
Status
In Assembly Committee
Education
Impact
4/10
Low
Passage
0%

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Education

What's happening

This bill requires all New York high schools without a student government to establish one, ensuring opportunities for student participation.

Why it matters

  1. Expands Civic Engagement. By mandating student governments in all high schools, the bill aims to give more students direct experience with democratic processes, leadership, and advocacy, which are essential skills for civic life beyond school.

  2. Addresses Equity in Participation. This requirement ensures that students in districts or schools previously lacking student governments—often those with fewer resources or less tradition of student involvement—will now have the same opportunities as peers elsewhere.

  3. Potential for Student Voice in Policy. Student governments often serve as a bridge between students and school administration, so this law could lead to more student input on school policies, climate, and decision-making, making schools more responsive to student needs.

  4. Implementation and Oversight Challenges. Schools and districts will need to allocate staff time and resources to organize and support these new student governments, which may present logistical and funding challenges, especially in under-resourced districts.

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Who cares

Headline styles

Require Student Governments

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
David Buchwald

Assembly Member · Assembly District 93

No co-sponsors yet.

History

  1. Referred to education
  2. Referred to education

Companion bill

The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.

S4008Senate

Require Student Governments

In Senate Committee · Rules · Sponsor Shelley Mayer

Impact 4 · Low0% to pass

Full text

1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

8701

2019-2020 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY

October 23, 2019

Introduced by M. of A. BUCHWALD -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to student governments

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 817 to read as follows:

§ 817. Student government. The board of education or trustees of every school district serving high school students in grades nine through twelve with no districtwide or school building peer selected student government shall establish at least one student government organization within such district or school building with the goal of ensuring all eligible students have the opportunity to participate in such student government.

§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of September next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD09251-10-9

Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.