Enacts the "school security guard training enhancement act"; provides that annual training where a security guard is employed or contracted by a school in this state shall require the completion of school specific-training.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5079C
SPONSOR: O'Pharrow TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general business law and the executive law, in
relation to school security guards
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to equip school security guards with the
adequate training to mitigate issues that arise in an educational envi-
ronment pertaining to the youth population.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Amends subdivision 1 of section 89-n of the general business
law to provide security guards employed or contracted by a school, an
annual in-service training course which must cover topics conducive to
serving the youth population in an educational environment, including
but not limited to, role and responsibility of school security officers,
school-related laws and liability, security awareness in an educational
environment, youth mediation/conflict resolution, disasters and emergen-
cies, dynamics of student behavior and cultural awareness, crisis
prevention and restorative practices.Section 2. Amends subdivision 7 of
section 841 of the executive law to provide that the division of crimi-
nal justice services consult with departments and agencies concerned
with school security guards. Section 3. Is the enacting clause
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
Click here to enter text.
JUSTIFICATION:
To gain employment as a school security guard, one must obtain a general
security guard license which can be earned upon completion of a course.
With this license, one can pursue employment as a security guard in
various sectors i.e., retail, schools, etc. However, serving in a school
environment requires additional knowledge and training which the current
course for the license does not include. This bill equips security
guards with the appropriate training and skills necessary to solve
conflicts that arise within the schools by adding additional topics to
the licensing course. In March 2022, a school security guard at Lincoln
Middle School in Wisconsin used a knee-on-neck restraint technique for
more than half a minute on a 12year-old girl prior to handcuffing her
after breaking up a fight. A lawsuit alleges the use of excessive force
and a failure to provide the security guard with adequate training. By
amending the statutory requirements of topics which must be covered in
the security guard licensing course to include role and responsibility
of school security officers, school-related laws and liability, security
awareness in an educational environment, youth mediation/conflict resol-
ution, disasters and emergencies, dynamics o f student behavior,
cultural awareness, crisis prevention, and restorative practices, we can
ensure tragedies like this do not occur in our state.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
n/a
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law,
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5079--C
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 12, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. O'PHARROW, TAPIA, STECK, TAYLOR, LUCAS, DAIS,
MEEKS, CHANDLER-WATERMAN, ANDERSON, DURSO, K. BROWN, LUNSFORD -- read
once and referred to the Committee on Economic Development -- commit-
tee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recom-
mitted to said committee -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee --
recommitted to the Committee on Economic Development in accordance
with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the general business law and the executive law, in
relation to school security guards
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "school security guard training enhancement act".
3 § 2. Paragraph d of subdivision 1 of section 89-n of the general
4 business law, as added by chapter 336 of the laws of 1992, is amended to
5 read as follows:
6 d. an eight hour annual in-service training course, provided that
7 where a security guard is employed or contracted by a school in this
8 state, such annual in-service training course shall require the
9 completion of a security training curriculum specific to a school
10 setting, including, but not limited to, role and responsibility of
11 school security guards, school-related laws and liability, security
12 awareness in the educational environment, youth mediation/conflict
13 resolution, disasters and emergencies, dynamics of student behavior and
14 cultural awareness, disabilities and special education considerations,
15 restorative practices, crisis prevention, and the Dignity for All
16 Students Act (DASA). Such school-specific training shall be designed and
17 enforced by the department, in consultation with the department of
18 education and the department of criminal justice services, the division
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00537-07-6
A. 5079--C 2
1 of homeland security, state police and local law enforcement and shall
2 be standardized and approved statewide; and
3 § 3. Subdivision 7 of section 841 of the executive law, as amended by
4 section 6 of part Q of chapter 56 of the laws of 2009, is amended to
5 read as follows:
6 7. Consult with and cooperate with other departments and agencies of
7 the state concerned with police officer, school security guard, and
8 peace officer training;
9 § 4. This act shall take effect August 1, 2027. Effective immediate-
10 ly, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
11 necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
12 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
