S812-2011 Actions

• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO EDUCATION
• Jan 5, 2011: REFERRED TO EDUCATION

S812-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S812

TITLE OF BILL:

An act
to amend the education law, in relation to requiring public school
districts to develop policies limiting the use of district-owned
cellular phones

PURPOSE:

Requires school districts to develop a policy limiting the use of
school-owned cell phones to school related purposes.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

The education law is amended by adding a new section 308-a.

JUSTIFICATION:

New York State's taxpayers invest more than $39 billion per year for
education in New York State. It is an investment that New Yorkers
make because of their longstanding commitment to ensuring a quality
education for all of their children and because of the recognition of
the crucial role that education plays in ensuring the continued
vitality of the state.

Because the investment is so important, it is crucial that we do
everything we can to ensure that money is spent in a fiscally prudent
and financially responsible manner. Unfortunately, recent events have
underscored the fact that financial oversight of school districts is
woefully inadequate and that fundamental change is required in order
to ensure the continued confidence of New Yorkers in their education
investment. Audits conducted by the State Comptroller's Office have
revealed that some school districts have reimbursement policies for
personal usage, while others completely lack policies and make
feeble, if any, attempts to recoup monies for personal use of
district cellular phones.

Although the Legislature enacted laws to improve the fiscal oversight
of school district finances in the 2005 Legislative Session, this
legislation did not substantially improve accountability and the use
of district automobiles, cellular phones, and credit cards. This
legislation will ensure that districts have "use policies" for cell
phones and prevent the misuse of such taxpayer funded items. The lack
of written policies makes it nearly impossible to ensure that money
is being spent according to Board of Education policies and in the
best interest of the school district and local taxpayers.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2009-10, S.1076; 2007-08, S.873; 2005-06, S.6665

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to state.


EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect immediately.

S812-2011 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 S. 812                                                    A. 521
 2011-2012 Regular Sessions
 SENATE - ASSEMBLY
 (PREFILED)
 January 5, 2011
 
 IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered print
 ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 IN  ASSEMBLY  -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred
 to the Committee on Education
 

AN ACT to amend the education  law,  in  relation  to  requiring  public
 school  districts  to  develop  policies limiting the use of district
 owned cellular phones
 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

Section  1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 308-a
 to read as follows:

 

S 308-A. POLICIES; CELLULAR PHONES.   THE COMMISSIONER  IS  AUTHORIZED
 AND  DIRECTED TO REQUIRE ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DEVELOP A POLICY
 REGULATING THE USE OF CELLULAR PHONES PURCHASED BY SUCH SCHOOL  DISTRICT
 FOR  USE BY SCHOOL PERSONNEL. SUCH POLICY SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NEED NOT BE
 LIMITED TO, THE RESTRICTION OF SUCH CELLULAR PHONES  TO  USE  BY  SCHOOL
 PERSONNEL ONLY AND ONLY FOR PURPOSES DIRECTLY RELATED TO SCHOOL DISTRICT
 RELATED  BUSINESS.    FOR  PURPOSES  OF THIS SECTION, "SCHOOL PERSONNEL"
 SHALL INCLUDE FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME  FACULTY,  STAFF,  ADMINISTRATION,
 AND  SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS ENGAGED FROM TIME TO TIME
 IN SCHOOL DISTRICT RELATED BUSINESS.
 

S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD03733-01-1

*By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and Privacy Policy and verify you are over 13.

Discuss!