What's happening
This bill adds violent crime statistics and vacant building density as factors when determining hazardous child safety zones in New York.
Why it matters
Broader Definition of Hazardous Zones. By adding violent crime statistics and vacant building density as criteria, the bill recognizes that student safety is influenced by more than just traffic patterns—social and environmental factors now play a direct role in determining if an area is unsafe for children to walk to school.
Potential for Expanded Bus Eligibility. The inclusion of crime and vacant building data could lead to more areas being classified as hazardous, possibly making more students eligible for school bus transportation, which may benefit families in high-risk neighborhoods.
Focus on Community Conditions. The amendment highlights the impact of neighborhood decline (e.g., high vacancy rates) and crime on children's daily safety, potentially prompting broader community discussions and efforts to address these underlying issues.
Guidance for Local Decision-Making. By specifying these additional factors, the law provides clearer, more comprehensive guidance to local boards of education and transportation officials, helping ensure that safety assessments are based on a fuller picture of community risks.
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Who cares
State Department of Transportation
The bill would require its hazardous-zone regulations to include violent crime statistics and the density of vacant buildings or structures as factors.
Boards of education
School boards would use the expanded regulatory factors when determining whether a hazardous child safety zone exists.
Students and parents in areas with violent crime or vacant buildings
The bill would make those conditions explicit considerations in hazardous child safety zone determinations.
Headline styles
Add Crime to School Safety Zones
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.972
- Referred to education
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to education
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.1569
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
Show 1 earlier action
- 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.
Expand Child Safety Zone Criteria
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Patricia Fahy
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5719
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 13, 2019
Introduced by Sen. JACKSON -- 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 certain factors considered in the determination of hazardous child safety zones
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 3635-b of the education law, as amended by chapter 403 of the laws of 1992, is amended to read as follows:
3. The commissioner of transportation shall establish regulations for determination of a hazardous zone including, but not limited to, such factors as the existence or nonexistence of sidewalks or walkways, the type of road surface, width of road, footpath or sidewalk, the volume and average speed of traffic, density of population, violent crime statistics, density of vacant buildings or structures, the commercial, industrial or residential character of the area and the existence or nonexistence of traffic safety features such as traffic lights, street lights and traffic patrols. In preparing such regulations, the commissioner of transportation shall consult with the commissioners of education and motor vehicles and representatives from the state police who have traffic safety responsibilities. Such regulations shall be used by boards of education in determining whether a hazardous zone exists.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10894-01-9
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 certain factors considered in the determination of hazardous child safe- ty zones
Purpose
An act to amend the education law, in relation to certain factors considered in the determination of hazardous child safety zones
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends subdivision 3 of Section 3635-b of the Education law. Adds violent crime rates and the density of vacant properties as condi- tions that can be used to justify the creation of a child safety zone.
Section 2 is the effective date.
Justification
A 2019 report of the Governors Highway Safety Association recently found that pedestrian deaths in the United States are at a 30-year high. The problem is particularly pernicious for K-12 students in New York, as school districts cannot be reimbursed for pupil transport of a distance less than 1.5 miles, although these pupil often must travel through hazardous conditions. In particular, students who live in neighborhoods with high crimes rates or with deteriorating buildings face threats to their safety while they walk to school. This legislation adds violent crime statistics and the density of vacant buildings as justifications for the creation of child safety zones, as these are indicators of potential hazards to children. Allowing school districts to receive reimbursement for an expanded definition of child safety zones will better enable districts to keep students safe.
Legislative history
New bill.
State and 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.