NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A302
SPONSOR: Rosenthal L
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring the teaching
of courses in the prevention of child abuse at private schools
 
PURPOSE:
Expands the requirement that schools provide child sexual exploitation
and child sexual abuse education in grades kindergarten through eighth
to private schools.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends 803-b of the education law to include private schools.
Section 2 sets forth the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Last year, New York passed landmark legislation known as Erin's Law to
require all public schools to provide age appropriate child exploitation
and child abuse prevention education for K-8 students. Many young
people suffering abuse or exploitation are unaware of when and from whom
to seek help. The curriculum mandated by Erin's Law will empower
students to speak up if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable and ensure
that they have the language and knowledge they need to get help.
However, there are almost 450,000 students across New York State who
attend non-public schools, according to an estimate by the New York
State Department of Education, who remain unprotected. This legislation
would expand Erin's Law to non-public schools, to ensure that every
student in New York State receives preventative education around child
sexual abuse.
Child sexual abuse can lead to lifelong trauma -- this legislation will
ensure that every child in New York has the knowledge they need to get
help and it will remind them that they do not have to suffer in silence.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22: A.3688 - Referred to Education;
S.400 - Referred to Education 2019-20: A.9845-A - Referred to Education;
S.7582-A - Referred to Education
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date
on which it shall have become law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
302
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 4, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring the teaching
of courses in the prevention of child abuse at private schools
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 803-b of the education law, as
2 added by chapter 187 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
3 1. All pupils in grades K-8 in all public and private schools in the
4 state shall receive instruction designed to prevent child sexual exploi-
5 tation and child sexual abuse. Such program shall be defined by the
6 commissioner in regulations after consultation with the department of
7 health and be designed to educate students, parents and school personnel
8 about the prevention of child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse
9 in grades kindergarten through eight. Such program shall include, but
10 not be limited to students and parents. Nothing in this section shall
11 prevent the department from making model curriculum and resource materi-
12 als available on the department's website.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
14 the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01305-01-3