This bill creates a 18-member task force to review and improve safety in school transportation. The task force, appointed by state leaders and including education stakeholders, school bus drivers, and agency heads, will study existing safety laws, bus stop practices, pedestrian safety, and protocols for drivers (including substitutes). It must issue recommendations within 18 months on measures like retrofitting buses, using sensor technology, and curbing illegal passing of school buses. The bill does not implement new safety rules but establishes a review process to inform future policy. (Procedural bill; expires 24 months after enactment.)
Requires that the state fund any program which imposes a mandate upon municipal corporations or school districts; establishes criteria for any exemption from such law if such mandate is ordered by the judiciary, pursuant to an executive order or requested by the locality; establishes the New York state mandate review council.
Authorizes the commissioner of taxation and finance to establish segment special equalization rates starting in fiscal year 2026 for the Amityville Union Free School District and Farmingdale Union Free School District for the segments of the districts in the towns of Babylon and Oyster Bay.
Enacts the "Gold Star Families Support Act"; provides a member of a Gold Star family with state paid health insurance; removes provisions relating to veterans with disabilities; expands employment of veterans to employment of veterans and members of a Gold Star family; establishes the Gold Star family tuition fund to be distributed to any public or private educational institution from grades pre-K through graduate and post-graduate school shall be deposited with any school providing free tuition to a member of a Gold Star family; makes related provisions.
Requires that parents of students at student orientations, back to school nights, or other beginning of year events, at schools that participate in the national school lunch program or school breakfast program, receive notification of eligibility, and access to application, for free or reduced price meals for students.
Establishes a service learning, internship or independent study program for students interested in working with individuals with developmental disabilities; mandates such program shall consist of a work component with verifiable activities related to individuals with developmental disabilities as determined by the state university trustees, and an academic component related to such activity that will be completed through either a written report or journal, or other written assignment as determined by the state university trustees.
Establishes the Artificial Intelligence Literacy Act which establishes an artificial intelligence literacy in the digital equity competitive grant program.
Requires school districts to establish a language assistance program for limited English proficient parents of students; requires record keeping and annual reporting; permits districts to jointly establish such programs.
Directs the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to provide discounted monthly passes to college, graduate and career education students for the purpose of commuting to and from classes.
This bill expands the definition of second-degree assault under New York's penal law to specifically include attacks on school bus operators, monitors, or attendants. It directly affects school bus staff by ensuring that intentional physical harm caused to them during their work is classified as a more serious second-degree assault offense. The key provision amends existing law to add a new subsection stating that causing injury to these individuals with intent constitutes second-degree assault. This change creates a clearer legal standard for prosecuting assaults targeting school transportation personnel.
