What's happening
This bill requires the state to set safety guidelines and procedures for all elementary and secondary school science laboratories.
Why it matters
Establishes comprehensive safety protocols. The bill mandates that science labs in all New York elementary and secondary schools must follow detailed safety guidelines, including regular inspections, proper storage and use of materials, and maintenance of safety equipment—potentially reducing the risk of accidents and injuries.
Requires mandatory staff training. School employees must receive safety and health training related to lab operations, aiming to ensure that teachers and staff are better prepared to prevent, recognize, and respond to hazardous situations.
Empowers state oversight and enforcement. The commissioner of education is given the authority to require schools to stop using specific materials, equipment, or activities if they are deemed to pose an undue risk—allowing for swift intervention in dangerous situations and potentially preventing future incidents.
Aligns with federal and state regulations. By requiring consistency with existing safety rules, the law helps schools avoid regulatory conflicts and sets a standardized baseline for science lab safety statewide, which could provide peace of mind for parents and educators.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Make School Labs Safer
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1107
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 11, 2019
Introduced by Sen. HOYLMAN -- 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 safe operation and maintenance of all elementary and secondary school science laboratories
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 19-a to read as follows:
19-a. The commissioner shall promulgate procedures and guidelines by which all elementary and secondary school science laboratories shall be operated and maintained to protect the safety of students, teachers and staff. Such procedures and guidelines shall include, at a minimum, classroom and laboratory inspection, maintenance, storage and usage of safety equipment, maintenance, storage and usage of science laboratory materials and equipment, safety and health training for school employees, and procedures to be followed in the event of an injury or accident, and shall be consistent with all other applicable federal or state safety regulations. The commissioner is authorized to direct any or all elementary and secondary schools to temporarily or indefinitely cease using materials or equipment or conducting science demonstrations or student laboratory exercises that the commissioner has determined pose an undue risk of harm to students, teachers or staff.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06789-01-9
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 safe operation and maintenance of all elementary and secondary school science laboratories
Purpose or general idea of bill
To establish standard guidelines to be followed in elementary and secondary school science laboratories in order to ensure the safety of faculty, staff, and students when conducting scientific experiments.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 grants the Commissioner of the State Education Department (SED) the authority to promulgate rules and regulations concerning stan- dard operating procedure in all elementary and secondary school science laboratories, including but not limited to maintenance, inspection, and usage guidelines, safety training courses, and prohibition of dangerous equipment or scientific demonstrations.
Section 2 establishes that the act shall take effect immediately.
Justification
Over the last decade, there have been several instances, both in New York and across the country, of scientific experiments being performed in elementary or secondary school laboratories under dangerous and unsafe conditions, resulting in serious harm to students and staff. Although practical experiments are an important part of a scientific curriculum, we have an obligation to our teachers and students to ensure that demonstrations performed on school grounds do not pose an undue risk of personal injury to those involved.
This legislation would require the SED Commissioner to promulgate guide- lines and procedures that would ensure the safety of our faculty, staff, and students while still allowing for an exciting, creative, and hands- on educational curriculum in science classes.
Prior legislative history
S.313 of 2017-2018 (Hoylman): Died in Education S.5470 of 2015-2016 (Hoylman): Died in Education
Fiscal implications
None.
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.