Bill Text: NY A00598 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires comprehensive training at least one time per year for school bus drivers and school bus attendants in the discouragement, prevention and detection of harassment, bullying and discrimination.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to education [A00598 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A00598-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                           598

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                     January 9, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL, SANTABARBARA -- Multi-Sponsored by
          -- M. of A.  COOK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Educa-
          tion

        AN ACT to amend the education law and the vehicle and  traffic  law,  in
          relation  to  requiring  comprehensive training for school bus drivers
          and school  bus  attendants  in  the  discouragement,  prevention  and
          detection of harassment, bullying and discrimination

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Section 3650 of the education law is amended  by  adding  a
     2  new subdivision 3 to read as follows:
     3    3. The commissioner shall develop a uniform and comprehensive training
     4  program  for school bus drivers transporting students to and from school
     5  by school bus  in  the  discouragement,  prevention,  and  detection  of
     6  harassment,  bullying and discrimination as defined under article two of
     7  this chapter. Such training  shall  include,  but  not  be  limited  to,
     8  instruction concerning the effects of harassment, bullying and discrimi-
     9  nation  and the appropriate response when a school bus driver encounters
    10  such situation. The training and instruction required by  this  subdivi-
    11  sion may be included with the training and instruction required pursuant
    12  to  paragraph  a  of subdivision one and subdivision two of this section
    13  and shall be provided at least once  per  year  or  more  frequently  as
    14  determined by the commissioner in consultation with the state comprehen-
    15  sive school bus driver safety training council.
    16    §  2.  Section  1229-d  of  the  vehicle and traffic law is amended by
    17  adding a new subdivision 5 to read as follows:
    18    (5) The commissioner of education shall  promulgate  rules  and  regu-
    19  lations  requiring that every school bus attendant serving pupils with a
    20  disabling condition receive training and  instruction  relating  to  the
    21  discouragement,  prevention,  and  detection of harassment, bullying and
    22  discrimination as defined under article two of the education  law.  Such

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD00776-01-3
        A. 598                              2

     1  training  shall  include,  but not be limited to, instruction concerning
     2  the effects of harassment, bullying and discrimination and the appropri-
     3  ate response when a school bus attendant encounters such situation.  The
     4  training  and  instruction  required by this subdivision may be included
     5  with the training and instruction required pursuant to this section  and
     6  shall  be  provided  at least once per year or more frequently as deter-
     7  mined by the commissioner of education, in consultation with  the  state
     8  comprehensive school bus driver safety training council.
     9    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.