What's happening
This bill allows not-for-profit dental clinics to operate in public schools and on school grounds to provide dental services to children.
Why it matters
Increases access to dental care for children. by enabling not-for-profit clinics to provide dental services directly in schools, potentially reaching students who might otherwise face barriers to dental care due to cost, transportation, or lack of local providers.
Ensures qualified professionals deliver care. , as clinic staff must be appropriately licensed or certified, which helps maintain the quality and safety of services provided to children.
No financial burden on school districts. , since the costs of running these dental clinics cannot be charged to the school district, ensuring that essential educational resources remain unaffected.
Supports overall student health and learning. , as improved access to dental care can reduce absenteeism and health-related distractions, ultimately promoting better academic outcomes and well-being for students.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Allow School Dental Clinics
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
- 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.
Allow School Dental Clinics
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Aileen Gunther
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1216
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 11, 2019
Introduced by Sen. RITCHIE -- 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 authorizing the use of schoolhouses and grounds by not-for-profit dental clinics
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 414 of the education law is amended by adding a new paragraph (l) to read as follows:
(l) For approved school dental clinics.
(i) For purposes of this paragraph the following terms shall mean:
(A) "Approved school dental clinic" means a not-for-profit clinic that will provide services during school hours and/or non-school hours to school-age and pre-school children.
(B) "Services" means dental services and shall not include instructional services unless the individual is certified or licensed to teach.
(C) "School" means a public school district, board of cooperative educational services or county vocational education and extension board.
(ii) Health professionals who provide services in approved school dental health clinics shall be duly licensed pursuant to the provisions of title eight of this chapter, unless otherwise exempted by law, and shall be authorized to provide such services to the extent permitted by their respective practice acts.
(iii) Except where otherwise authorized by law, the cost of providing dental health services pursuant to this paragraph shall not be a charge upon the school district. Building space used exclusively for such a clinic shall be excluded from the rated capacity of the school building for the purpose of computing building aid pursuant to subdivision six of section thirty-six hundred two of this chapter.
§ 2. Subdivision 2 of section 414 of the education law, as amended by chapter 513 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00412-01-9
S. 1216 2
2. The trustees or board of education shall determine the terms and conditions for such use which may include rental at least in an amount sufficient to cover all resulting expenses for the purposes of paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (g), (i), (j) [and], (k) and (l) of subdivision one of this section. Any such use, pursuant to paragraphs (a), (c), (d), (h) [and], (j) and (l) of subdivision one of this section, shall not allow the exclusion of any district child solely because said child is not attending a district school or not attending the district school which is sponsoring such use or on which grounds the use is to occur.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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 authorizing the use of schoolhouses and grounds by not-for-profit dental clinics
Purpose
To add not-for-profit health clinics and dental clinics to the list of authorized uses of school grounds upon the approval of the trustees or board of education of a school district.
Summary
Sections 1 and 2 of the bill amend section 414 of the Education Law to add dental health clinics to the list of uses which may be authorized on school grounds by the trustees or board of education of a school district. Such clinics serve families of the school district but does not permit a district child from being excluded solely because the child is not attending a district school.
Section 3 establishes the effective date.
Existing law
Section 414 of the Education Law lists many uses of school grounds which may be authorized by the trustees or board of education of a school district, including: public libraries, teaching of the arts, recreation and physical activities, civic forums, and child care services. This bill would extend that list to allow not-for-profit health clinics and dental clinics on school grounds at local option.
Justification
Not-for-profit health clinics and dental clinics operate in many New York schools. These clinics are promoted by federal, state and local public health agencies as sound public health policy and practice. However, current law is unclear as to whether such clinics may be authorized by school districts.
For many children and their families, access to health and dental care is unreachable because of geographic, economic, language, and cultural barriers. This problem is also compounded by a shortage of health and dental professionals in many areas of the state. Programs such as the North Country Children's Clinic are critical to promoting dental health to underserved populations. However, this clinic, and many similarly situated health centers in the state struggle with operational costs. To provide the necessary services, these clinics use portable dental equip- ment to provide dental services in school settings. This legislation statutorily authorizes dental health programming in those school districts desiring such services.
Legislative history
2017-2018: S.1466/A.502
Fiscal implications
None. Any services provided would be paid for by existing federal, state or other programs and would be operated on a not-for-profit basis.
Local 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.