What's happening
This bill creates a working group to study and recommend standards and training for school resource officers in New York.
Why it matters
Potential for Statewide Consistency. By studying and recommending standards for school resource officers (SROs), the working group could lead to more uniform qualifications, training, and practices for SROs across New York, addressing current inconsistencies between school districts.
Focus on Child-Specific Training. The bill highlights the importance of sensitivity training tailored to interacting with school-aged children, which could lead to safer, more supportive school environments and reduce negative encounters between students and law enforcement.
Fiscal and Employment Impacts Examined. By requiring consideration of the civil service, benefits, and fiscal ramifications, the bill acknowledges that new standards or requirements could affect school budgets and the employment status of SROs—potentially influencing hiring practices and costs.
Transparency and Public Accountability. The mandate for a public report ensures that the group's findings and recommendations are accessible, fostering transparency and enabling public scrutiny of proposed changes to SRO standards and training.
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Who cares
School resource officers
The working group would recommend whether physical fitness standards, age limits and training requirements are appropriate, while examining civil service and benefit implications.
School districts
The working group would examine potential fiscal effects on districts from proposed school resource officer standards.
State education and law enforcement officials
The education commissioner, criminal justice services commissioner, State Police superintendent, sheriffs’ association representative and selected municipal police training council members would study standards and submit recommendations to the governor and Legislature.
School-aged children
The working group would examine sensitivity training to prepare school resource officers to interact with children.
Headline styles
Create School Safety Working Group
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1118
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sens. OBERACKER, BORRELLO, GALLIVAN, RHOADS -- 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 creating a school resource officer working group; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof
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 2801-c to read as follows:
§ 2801-c. School resource officer working group. 1. The commissioner shall establish a working group to study appropriate standards and training for a person to serve as a school resource officer.
2. Such working group shall include: the commissioner, the commissioner of the division of criminal justice services, the superintendent of state police, a representative from the New York state sheriffs' association, one member of the municipal police training council selected by the governor, one member of the municipal police training council selected by the temporary president of the senate, and one member of the municipal police training council selected by the speaker of the assembly.
3. Such working group shall meet regularly and shall study the options and best practices available and make recommendations for:
a. the need and appropriateness of physical fitness standards, age limitations and training requirements for school resource officers and which agency or organization would be responsible for creating and implementing such standards and requirements;
b. the appropriateness and availability of sensitivity training for school resource officers which prepares such officers to interact with school-aged children and which agencies or organizations could offer such training; and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03500-01-5
c. the civil service and benefit ramifications of any proposed standards, if any, as well as potential fiscal ramifications on school districts.
4. The working group created by subdivision one of this section shall report its findings and recommendations to the governor and the legislature no later than six months after the effective date of this section. Such report shall be bound and made available to the public.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed nine months after the school resource officer working group reports its findings and recommendations to the governor and the legislature pursuant to section 2801-c of the education law as added by section one of this act; provided that the commissioner of education shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon the occurrence of the enactment of the legislation provided for in section one of this act in order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New York in furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of the public officers law.
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 creating a school resource officer working group; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Adds Section 2801-c to the Education Law providing for the creation of a working group to examine the need for standards and train- ing for school resource officers. The working group would examine the need and appropriateness of physical standards, age limits, school-aged children sensitivity training, and the civil service ramification of implementing said standards.
The group, organized under the Department of Education, would be comprised of seven members: the Commissioner of Education, the Commis- sioner of the Division of Criminal Justice Services, the Superintendent of State Police, a representative from the New York State Sheriffs' Association, and three members of the municipal police training council selected by the Temporary President of the Senate, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the Governor, respectively.
The working group's findings and recommendations would be required to be submitted to the Governor, the legislature, and the public no later than six months following the effective date.
Section 2. This section sets forth the effective date.
Justification
As school safety issues seem to increasingly dominate the headlines every year, it's important to remember that School Resource Officers are a frontline asset to districts, teachers, and students in keeping school premises safe. As the State looks to help districts increase the avail- ability of School Resource Officers, it should also be the policy of the State to ensure that best practices are used. The State should also ensure that those who are responsible for keeping the future of our society safe are also properly qualified and able to do so.
In order to determine best practices for School Resource Officers, this bill creates a working group that would include voices from education, law enforcement criminal justice, police training, and local law enforcement perspectives. These unique perspectives looking at the vari- ous aspects of what might make a good School Resource Officer - such as physical fitness, age limitations, and the availability of sensitivity towards dealing with school aged children - will, allow the State to be better informed going forward while simultaneously ensuring that impor- tant and diverse voices are heard on this important issue.
Legislative history
S.5112 of 2024/No same as
S.2077/A3377 of 2022
S.3169/A515 of 2020 S.8611/A10819 of 2018
Fiscal implications
None noted.
Effective date
Immediately. This act shall expire and be deemed repeal nine months after the school resource officer working group reports its findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.