NY State Senate Bill 2015-S5344

Senate Bill S5344

2015-2016 Legislative Session

Requires the board of education to ensure that every public elementary and secondary school install at least one emergency alarm for use in non-fire school security

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 06, 2016	referred to education
May 13, 2015	referred to education

2015-S5344 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A4660
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §§409-l & 817, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: A5668
2017-2018: S2864, A6195
2019-2020: A3091
2021-2022: A4156

2015-S5344 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the board of education to ensure that every public elementary and secondary school install at least one emergency alarm for use in non-fire school security emergencies.

2015-S5344 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S5344

TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring the board of
education  to  ensure  that every public elementary and secondary school
install at least one emergency alarm for use in non-fire school security
emergencies, and requiring emergency drills and training for public  and
private schools, colleges and universities

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This  bill is being introduced to expand cooperation between schools and
local law enforcement and  to  enhance  training  and  preparedness  for
students, faculty, and administrators, in the event of a non-fire school
emergency.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section  1  establishes  the  title of the bill as the "school emergency
preparedness act".  Section 2 amends the education law by adding § 409-1
for the purposes of defining an "emergency alarm" and  requiring  public
elementary and secondary schools to install at least one emergency alarm
upon  appropriation  by the state. Section 3 amends the education law by
adding § 816 to require all public and private  schools  or  educational
institutions within the state to conduct at least two non-fire emergency

drills  per  year.  Section  3 subdivision 4 requires public and private
colleges or universities within the state to conduct at least  two  non-
fire emergency drills per year.

JUSTIFICATION:

Presently,  there is no uniform procedure for schools to coordinate with
local law enforcement or to prepare their students, faculty, and  admin-
istrators,  in  the  event  of a non-fire school emergency. In the event
that a school's security is compromised by a clear and  present  threat,
the  school  must  be able to handle the situation calmly and remove the
students from the threat. The installation of a silent  emergency  alarm
will establish a direct line-of-communication between local law enforce-
ment  agencies  and  schools.  When  activated, the emergency alarm will
alert local law enforcement to a potentially  dangerous  non-fire  situ-
ation  developing  at a school, and better prepare them for an encounter
with an armed individual.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2013-14: A.5668/Education

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

Immediately.

2015-S5344 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                  5344

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              May 13, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- 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 the board of
  education to ensure that every public elementary and secondary  school
  install  at least one emergency alarm for use in non-fire school secu-
  rity emergencies, and requiring  emergency  drills  and  training  for
  public and private schools, colleges and universities

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

  Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
the "school emergency preparedness act".
  S  2.  The  education  law is amended by adding a new section 409-l to
read as follows:
  S 409-L. INSTALLATION OF EMERGENCY ALARMS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.   1.  FOR
THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS  SECTION,  "EMERGENCY ALARM" SHALL MEAN A SILENT
SECURITY SYSTEM SIGNAL GENERATED BY THE MANUAL ACTIVATION  OF  A  DEVICE
INTENDED TO SIGNAL A LIFE-THREATENING OR EMERGENCY SITUATION REQUIRING A
RESPONSE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT.
  2.  UPON  AN APPROPRIATION BY THE STATE TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS OF
THIS SECTION, IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION,  TRUSTEES,
PRINCIPAL OR OTHER PERSON IN CHARGE OF ANY PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECOND-
ARY  SCHOOL WITHIN THE STATE TO INSTALL AT LEAST ONE EMERGENCY ALARM FOR
USE IN A NON-FIRE SCHOOL SECURITY EMERGENCY. THE ALARM SHALL  BE  INTER-
CONNECTED  TO  A  DESIGNATED  LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, SO THAT UPON
ACTIVATION OF SUCH ALARM, A SIGNAL OR  MESSAGE  SHALL  BE  AUTOMATICALLY
TRANSMITTED TO THE DESIGNATED LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
  3. EVERY SCHOOL AUTHORITY AND THE GOVERNING BODY THAT POSSESSES JURIS-
DICTION  FOR  EACH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED, BY
AGREEMENT BETWEEN SUCH PARTIES, TO APPORTION THE COSTS OF INSTALLING AND
MAINTAINING ANY SUCH INTERCONNECTION. COSTS FOR INSTALLING AND MAINTAIN-
ING ALARM INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN  SCHOOLS  AND  LOCAL  LAW  ENFORCEMENT

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD06442-01-5

S. 5344                             2

AGENCIES  ARE HEREBY DEEMED APPROPRIATE EXPENDITURES TO BE PAID FROM THE
FUNDS OF SUCH SCHOOL AUTHORITIES AND GOVERNING BODIES.
  S  3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 817 to read
as follows:
  S 817. EMERGENCY DRILLS. 1. (A) IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF THE  PRINCIPAL
OR  OFFICIAL  IN CHARGE OF EVERY PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOL OR EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTION WITHIN THE STATE, OTHER THAN COLLEGES  OR  UNIVERSITIES,  TO
INSTRUCT AND TO TRAIN THE STUDENTS BY MEANS OF EMERGENCY DRILLS, SO THAT
SUCH  STUDENTS MAY, IN THE EVENT OF A NON-FIRE SCHOOL SECURITY EMERGENCY
SITUATION, BE PREPARED TO LEAVE THE SCHOOL BUILDING OR GATHER IN A  PRE-
DETERMINED  SAFE  AREA OF THE BUILDING IN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME AND
WITHOUT CONFUSION OR PANIC.
  (B) SUCH EMERGENCY DRILLS OR RAPID DISMISSALS SHALL BE HELD  AT  LEAST
TWO TIMES IN EACH SCHOOL YEAR. AT LEAST ONE OF SUCH DRILLS SHALL BE HELD
BETWEEN SEPTEMBER FIRST AND DECEMBER FIRST OF EACH SUCH YEAR.
  (C)  IN  THE  COURSE OF AT LEAST ONE OF SUCH DRILLS, STUDENTS SHALL BE
INSTRUCTED ON THE PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED IN THE EVENT THAT A  NON-FIRE
SCHOOL  SECURITY  EMERGENCY  SITUATION  OCCURS  DURING THE LUNCH PERIOD;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT SUCH ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION MAY BE WAIVED  WHERE
A DRILL IS HELD DURING THE REGULAR SCHOOL LUNCH PERIOD.
  (D)  AT  LEASE ONE ADDITIONAL DRILL SHALL BE HELD IN EACH SCHOOL YEAR,
DURING THE HOURS AFTER SUNSET AND BEFORE SUNRISE, IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN
WHICH STUDENTS ARE PROVIDED WITH SLEEPING ACCOMMODATIONS.
  (E) AT LEAST ONE ADDITIONAL DRILL SHALL BE HELD DURING THE FIRST  WEEK
OF SUMMER SCHOOL IN BUILDINGS WHERE SUMMER SCHOOL CLASSES ARE CONDUCTED.
  2.  IN THE CASE OF AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, EVENTS OR PERFORMANCES WHICH
ARE CONDUCTED WITHIN A SCHOOL BUILDING AND WHICH INCLUDE PERSONS WHO  DO
NOT  REGULARLY  ATTEND CLASSES IN SUCH SCHOOL BUILDING, THE PRINCIPAL OR
OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF THE BUILDING SHALL REQUIRE THE TEACHER  OR  PERSON
IN  CHARGE  OF SUCH AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM, EVENT OR PERFORMANCE TO NOTIFY
PERSONS IN ATTENDANCE AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH SUCH  PROGRAM,  EVENT  OR
PERFORMANCE,  OF  THE PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED IN THE EVENT OF AN EMER-
GENCY SO THAT THEY MAY BE PREPARED TO LEAVE THE BUILDING OR GATHER IN  A
PRE-DETERMINED SAFE AREA OF THE BUILDING IN A TIMELY, ORDERLY MANNER.
  3.  IT  SHALL BE THE DUTY OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OR SCHOOL BOARD OR
OTHER BODY HAVING CONTROL OF THE SCHOOLS IN  ANY  DISTRICT  OR  CITY  TO
CAUSE  A  COPY  OF  THIS SECTION TO BE PRINTED IN THE MANUAL OR HANDBOOK
PREPARED FOR THE GUIDANCE OF TEACHERS, WHERE SUCH MANUAL OR HANDBOOK  IS
IN USE OR MAY HEREAFTER COME INTO USE.
  4.  (A) IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF THE OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF EVERY PUBLIC
OR PRIVATE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY WITHIN THE STATE, TO INSTRUCT AND TRAIN
THE STUDENTS BY MEANS OF EMERGENCY DRILLS, SO THAT THEY MAY IN THE EVENT
OF A NON-FIRE SCHOOL SECURITY EMERGENCY SITUATION, BE PREPARED TO  LEAVE
THE  COLLEGE  OR  UNIVERSITY BUILDING OR GATHER IN A PRE-DETERMINED SAFE
AREA OF THE BUILDING IN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME AND WITHOUT CONFUSION
OR PANIC.
  (B) SUCH EMERGENCY DRILLS OR RAPID DISMISSALS SHALL BE HELD  AT  LEAST
TWO  TIMES  IN  EACH  YEAR.  AT  LEAST  ONE OF SUCH DRILLS SHALL BE HELD
BETWEEN SEPTEMBER FIRST AND DECEMBER FIRST OF EACH SUCH YEAR.
  (C) AT LEAST ONE OF SUCH DRILLS SHALL BE HELD DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF
A SUMMER SESSION IN THE  BUILDINGS  WHERE  SUMMER  SESSION  CLASSES  ARE
CONDUCTED.
  (D)  AT  LEAST ONE ADDITIONAL DRILL SHALL BE HELD IN EACH YEAR, DURING
THE HOURS AFTER SUNSET AND BEFORE  SUNRISE,  IN  COLLEGE  OR  UNIVERSITY
BUILDINGS IN WHICH STUDENTS ARE PROVIDED WITH SLEEPING ACCOMMODATIONS.
  S 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

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