Requires certain school districts, New York City, Yonkers, Syracuse, Buffalo and Rochester, to employ a minimum of one school nurse per school building; authorizes the commissioner of education to promulgate additional staffing requirements.

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S4557-2011 Actions

• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO EDUCATION
• Apr 12, 2011: REFERRED TO EDUCATION

S4557-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S4557

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the education law, in relation to requiring school nurses in
school buildings in certain school districts

PURPOSE:
The bill amends the education law, requiring certain school
districts to provide for at least one school nurse in each school
building.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill amends Section 902 of the
education law by adding a new subdivision 4. This new subdivision
requires each school district in the cities of Yonkers, Syracuse,
Buffalo and Rochester and the department of education of New York
city to provide for at least one school nurse in each school
building. The section also provides for additional staffing to be
determined in regulation by the commissioner of Education
in consultation with at least one professional nursing
association.
Section 2 is the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:
While many schools districts throughout New York State
provide health care services to children in each school by staffing
registered professional nurses, there are some districts that
choose to have these nurses travel between school buildings or chose
not to have a registered professional nurse on staff at all. Large
city school districts, especially, are often faced with these
staffing dilemmas. Having professional staff available can prevent
potentially unfortunate outcomes for students that are faced with
a medical situation. Children in our state's largest school districts
need the same services from qualified medical professionals as
children in other districts. In fact, rates for asthma and other
chronic medical conditions are higher among students in urban school
districts. New York State law should recognize this important need.
This bill will provide each school within the largest school districts
in our state with access to a qualified medical service
professional for both chronic and acute health issues for its
students.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2008 REFERRED TO EDUCATION
2009 REFERRED TO EDUCATION
2010 REFERRED TO EDUCATION

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

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

S4557-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    4557

                         2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                               April 12, 2011
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sen.  ROBACH -- 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 requiring school nurs-
    es in school buildings in certain school districts

    THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section 1. Section 902 of the education law is amended by adding a new
  subdivision 4 to read as follows:

    4. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, THE TRUSTEE OR BOARD OF
  TRUSTEES  OF  EACH  SCHOOL  DISTRICT OR BOARD OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL
  SERVICES IN NEW YORK CITY,  YONKERS,  SYRACUSE,  BUFFALO  AND  ROCHESTER
  SHALL EMPLOY A MINIMUM OF ONE SCHOOL NURSE IN EACH SCHOOL BUILDING, WITH
  ADDITIONAL  STAFFING  DETERMINATIONS  PROMULGATED BY THE COMMISSIONER IN
  CONSULTATION WITH AT LEAST ONE PROFESSIONAL NURSING ASSOCIATION.
    S 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.
                                                             LBD01992-01-1