Amd §§10, 13, 14, 15, 801-a, 2801 & 3006-a, add Art 2-A §§20 - 24, Ed L
Updates provisions relating to dignity for all students including establishing the student suicide prevention act which includes curriculum and teacher training requirements designed to prevent student suicide with a focus on LGBTQ students; makes an appropriation therefor.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5318--A
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 7, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. O'DONNELL, GLICK, BRONSON, SIMONE, BENEDETTO,
WOERNER, BURDICK, PAULIN, FAHY, EPSTEIN, THIELE, KELLES, TAGUE, HEVE-
SI, SIMON, WALSH -- read once and referred to the Committee on Educa-
tion -- recommitted to the Committee on Education 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 education law, in relation to updating provisions
relating to dignity for all students; and making an appropriation
therefor
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 10 of the education law, as added by chapter 482
2 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 10. Legislative intent. The legislature finds that students' ability
4 to learn and to meet high academic standards, and a school's ability to
5 educate its students, are compromised by incidents of discrimination or
6 harassment including bullying, taunting or intimidation. It is hereby
7 declared to be the policy of the state to afford all students in public
8 schools an environment free of discrimination and harassment, whether in
9 the school building or on the internet. The purpose of this article is
10 to foster civility in public schools and to prevent and prohibit conduct
11 which is inconsistent with a school's educational mission.
12 § 2. Paragraphs e and l of subdivision 1 of section 13 of the educa-
13 tion law, as added by chapter 102 of the laws of 2012, are amended and a
14 new paragraph m is added to read as follows:
15 e. require the school, when an investigation reveals any such verified
16 harassment, bullying or discrimination, to take prompt actions reason-
17 ably calculated to end the harassment, bullying or discrimination, elim-
18 inate any hostile environment, create a more positive school culture and
19 climate, prevent recurrence of the behavior, and ensure the safety of
20 the student or students against whom such harassment, bullying or
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09917-03-4
A. 5318--A 2
1 discrimination was directed. Such actions shall be consistent with the
2 guidelines created pursuant to subdivision four of this section and
3 shall take into consideration whether notification of persons in
4 parental relation to the student who is the subject of such harassment
5 is in the best interest of the student;
6 l. maintain current versions of the school district's policies created
7 pursuant to this section on the school district's internet website, if
8 one exists; and
9 m. include safe, responsible use of the internet and electronic commu-
10 nications; and
11 § 3. Subdivision 5 of section 14 of the education law, as amended by
12 chapter 90 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
13 5. [The commissioner shall prescribe] Prescribe regulations that
14 school professionals applying on or after December thirty-first, two
15 thousand thirteen for a certificate or license, including but not limit-
16 ed to a certificate or license valid for service as a classroom teacher,
17 school counselor, school psychologist, school social worker, school
18 administrator or supervisor or superintendent of schools shall, in addi-
19 tion to all other certification or licensing requirements, have
20 completed training on the social patterns of harassment, bullying and
21 discrimination, as defined in section eleven of this article, including
22 but not limited to those acts based on a person's actual or perceived
23 race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious
24 practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex, the identifica-
25 tion and mitigation of harassment, bullying and discrimination, and
26 strategies for effectively addressing problems of exclusion, bias and
27 aggression in educational settings.
28 § 4. Section 15 of the education law, as amended by chapter 102 of the
29 laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
30 § 15. Reporting by commissioner and use of reports. 1. The commis-
31 sioner shall create a procedure under which material incidents of
32 harassment, bullying and discrimination on school grounds or at a school
33 function are reported to the department at least on an annual basis.
34 Such procedure shall provide that such reports shall, wherever possible,
35 also delineate the specific nature of such incidents of harassment,
36 bullying and discrimination, provided that the commissioner may comply
37 with the requirements of this section through use of the existing
38 uniform violent incident reporting system. In addition, the department
39 may conduct research or undertake studies to determine compliance
40 throughout the state with the provisions of this article.
41 2. The commissioner shall use such reports and data to identify
42 schools and districts that are failing to meet the standards and objec-
43 tives of this article. The commissioner shall promulgate policies and
44 procedures for improving conditions at these schools to ensure proper
45 training, support, and compliance with all requirements.
46 3. The commissioner shall deliver the report referenced in subdivision
47 one of this section to the legislature every two years.
48 § 5. The education law is amended by adding a new article 2-A to read
49 as follows:
50 ARTICLE 2-A
51 STUDENT SUICIDE PREVENTION
52 Section 20. Legislative intent.
53 21. Definitions.
54 22. Policies, procedures, and guidelines.
55 23. Application.
56 24. Severability and construction.
A. 5318--A 3
1 § 20. Legislative intent. The legislature finds and declares the
2 following:
3 1. According to data from the federal centers for disease control and
4 prevention as reported in the year two thousand sixteen, suicide is the
5 second leading cause of death for youth and young adults ten to twenty-
6 four years of age, inclusive, in both the United States and in New York
7 state.
8 2. As children and teens spend a significant amount of their young
9 lives in school, the personnel who interact with them on a daily basis
10 are essential gatekeepers for recognizing warning signs of suicide and
11 making the appropriate referrals for help.
12 3. In a national survey conducted by the Jason Foundation, a teacher
13 was identified as the number one person to whom a student would turn to
14 help a friend who might be suicidal. It is imperative that when a young
15 person comes to a teacher for help, such teacher has the knowledge,
16 tools, and resources to respond correctly.
17 4. In the year two thousand eighteen, the federal centers for disease
18 control and prevention found in its Youth Risk Behavior Survey that
19 lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth are almost four times more likely to
20 seriously consider attempting suicide, have made a suicide plan, or have
21 attempted suicide, than their heterosexual peers.
22 5. There are national hotlines available to help adults and youth,
23 including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning
24 (LGBTQ) youth, who are experiencing suicidal ideation or who are worried
25 about a family member or peer who may be at risk, including the National
26 Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, the Trevor Project
27 Lifeline, and TrevorChat.
28 6. According to the Family Acceptance Project, research has found
29 that, for an LGBTQ youth, having at least one supportive adult can
30 reduce the youth's risk of suicide.
31 7. New York state schools face the serious issues of students at high
32 risk of suicide and death by suicide in the school communities. School
33 personnel must be supported by clear policies and procedures, which
34 serve as an easily-accessible roadmap, eliminate confusion over educator
35 roles and the referral process, and equip educators with the tools to
36 respond safely when a suicide does occur in the school community.
37 § 21. Definitions. For the purposes of this article, the following
38 terms shall have the following meanings:
39 1. "Crisis situation" means a situation where a teacher or other local
40 educational agency employee believes a student or other individual is in
41 imminent danger of a suicide attempt.
42 2. "LGBTQ" means individuals who identify, with regards to gender, as
43 being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning.
44 3. "Local educational agency" means a school district, board of coop-
45 erative educational services, school, or the education department.
46 4. "Suicide intervention" means specific actions schools can take in
47 response to suicidal behavior by a student, including, but not limited
48 to:
49 a. student supervision;
50 b. notification of parents or guardians;
51 c. crisis situation response protocols;
52 d. when and how to request an immediate mental health assessment or
53 emergency services; and
54 e. school re-entry procedures following a student mental health
55 crisis.
A. 5318--A 4
1 5. "Suicide postvention" means planned support and interventions
2 schools can implement after a suicide attempt or suicide death of a
3 member of the school community that are designed to:
4 a. reduce the risk of the spread of suicidal thoughts or intentions;
5 b. provide support for affected students and school-based personnel;
6 c. address the social stigma associated with suicide; and
7 d. disseminate factual information about suicide and its prevention.
8 6. "Suicide prevention" means specific actions schools can take to
9 recognize and reduce suicidal behavior, including, but not limited to:
10 a. identifying risks and protective factors for suicide and suicide
11 warning signs;
12 b. establishing a process by which students are referred to a mental
13 and behavioral health provider for help;
14 c. making available school-based and community-based mental health
15 supports;
16 d. providing the location of available online and community suicide
17 prevention resources, including local crisis centers and hotlines;
18 e. adopting policies and protocols regarding suicide prevention,
19 intervention, and postvention, school safety, and response to crisis
20 situations;
21 f. training for school personnel who interact directly with students
22 in recognizing suicide risks and warning signs and how to refer students
23 for further assessment and evaluation; and
24 g. instruction to students in problem-solving and coping skills to
25 promote students' mental, emotional, and social health and well-being,
26 and instruction in recognizing and appropriately responding to signs of
27 suicidal intent in others.
28 § 22. Policies, procedures, and guidelines. 1. The governing board or
29 body of every local educational agency that serves students in grades
30 seven to twelve, inclusive, shall, before the first day of August, two
31 thousand twenty-four, adopt policies, procedures, and guidelines on
32 student suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention for students
33 in such grades. Such policies, procedures, and guidelines shall be
34 developed in consultation with school and community stakeholders,
35 school-employed mental health professionals, and suicide prevention
36 experts, and shall include, but not be limited to:
37 a. methods to increase awareness of the relationship between suicide
38 and suicide risk factors, including, but not limited to:
39 i. mental health and substance use conditions;
40 ii. childhood abuse, neglect, or trauma;
41 iii. prolonged stress, including individual experiences such as bully-
42 ing, harassment, family or relationship stress, or other stressful life
43 events, as well as collective stressors such as systemic bias and
44 discrimination;
45 iv. exposure to another person's suicide, or sensationalized or graph-
46 ic accounts of suicide; and
47 v. previous suicide attempts or history of suicide within a student's
48 family;
49 b. identification of training opportunities on recognizing suicide
50 risks, and referral procedures available to school employees;
51 c. availability of expertise from school employees who have been
52 trained in recognizing suicide risks, and referral procedures;
53 d. how school employees should respond to suspicion, concerns, or
54 warning signs of suicide in students;
55 e. how school employees should respond to a crisis situation where a
56 student is in imminent danger to himself or herself;
A. 5318--A 5
1 f. policies and protocols for communication with parents, including
2 those that specify what to do if parental notification is not in the
3 best interest of the student;
4 g. counseling services available within the school for students and
5 their families that are related to suicide prevention;
6 h. availability of information concerning crisis situation inter-
7 vention, suicide prevention, and mental health services in the community
8 for students and their families and school employees;
9 i. identification and development of partnerships with community
10 organizations and agencies for referral of students to health, mental
11 health, substance use, and social support services, including develop-
12 ment of at least one memorandum of understanding between the local
13 education agency and such an organization or agency in the community or
14 region;
15 j. development of a culturally competent plan to assist survivors of
16 attempted suicide and to assist students and school employees in coping
17 with an attempted suicide or a suicide death within the school communi-
18 ty; and
19 k. development of any other related program or activity for students
20 or school employees.
21 2. The policies, procedures, and guidelines adopted pursuant to subdi-
22 vision one of this section shall specifically address the needs of high-
23 risk groups, including, but not limited to, the following:
24 a. youth who have lost a friend or family member to suicide;
25 b. youth with disabilities or with chronic health conditions, includ-
26 ing mental health and substance use conditions;
27 c. youth experiencing homelessness or in out-of-home settings, such as
28 foster care; and
29 d. LGBTQ youth.
30 3. The policies, procedures, and guidelines adopted pursuant to subdi-
31 vision one of this section shall be written to ensure that a school
32 employee acts only within the authorization and scope of such employee's
33 credential or license. Nothing in this section shall be construed as
34 authorizing or encouraging a school employee to diagnose or treat mental
35 health conditions unless such employee is specifically licensed and
36 employed to do so.
37 4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no
38 cause of action may be brought for any loss or damage caused by any act
39 or omission resulting from the implementation of the provisions of this
40 article, or resulting from any training, or lack of training, required
41 by this article. Nothing in this article shall be construed to impose
42 any specific duty of care.
43 5. To assist local educational agencies in developing policies for
44 student suicide prevention, the department shall develop and maintain
45 model policies, procedures, and guidelines in accordance with this
46 section to serve as a guide for local educational agencies. Such model
47 policies, procedures, and guidelines shall be posted within thirty days
48 of their completion on the department's internet website, along with
49 relevant resources and information to support schools in developing and
50 implementing the policies, procedures, and guidelines required under
51 subdivision one of this section.
52 6. The governing board or body of a local educational agency that
53 serves students in grades seven to twelve, inclusive, shall review, at
54 minimum every fifth year following the effective date of this article,
55 its policies, procedures, and guidelines on student suicide prevention
56 and, if necessary, update such policies, procedures, and guidelines.
A. 5318--A 6
1 § 23. Application. The provisions of this article shall apply to all
2 private and public educational institutions in New York state.
3 § 24. Severability and construction. The provisions of this article
4 shall be severable, and if any court of competent jurisdiction declares
5 any phrase, clause, sentence or provision of this article to be invalid,
6 or its applicability to any government agency, person or circumstance is
7 declared invalid, the remainder of this article and its relevant appli-
8 cability shall not be affected. The provisions of this article shall be
9 liberally construed to give effect to the purposes thereof.
10 § 6. Section 801-a of the education law, as amended by section 102 of
11 the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
12 § 801-a. Instruction in civility, citizenship [and], character educa-
13 tion, digital citizenship, and media literacy.
14 1. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have
15 the following meanings:
16 a. "Tolerance", "respect for others", and "dignity" shall include
17 awareness and sensitivity to harassment, bullying, discrimination, and
18 civility in the relations of people of different races, weights,
19 national origins, ethnic groups, religions, religious practices, mental
20 or physical abilities, sexual orientations, genders, and sexes.
21 b. "Digital citizenship" shall mean a diverse set of skills related to
22 current technology and social media, including the norms of appropriate,
23 responsible, and healthy behavior and focuses on empowering learners to
24 use online resources, applications, and spaces to improve communities
25 and curate a positive and effective digital footprint.
26 c. "Media literacy" shall mean the ability to use media and to access,
27 analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication and
28 encompasses the foundational skills that lead to digital citizenship.
29 2. The regents shall ensure that the course of instruction in grades
30 kindergarten through twelve includes a component on civility, citizen-
31 ship, and character education. Such component shall instruct students on
32 the principles of honesty, tolerance, personal responsibility, and
33 respect for others, with an emphasis on discouraging acts of harassment,
34 bullying, discrimination, observance of laws and rules, courtesy, digni-
35 ty, and other traits which will enhance the quality of their experiences
36 in, and contributions to, the community. Such component shall include
37 instruction of safe, responsible use of the internet and electronic
38 communications. The regents shall determine how to incorporate such
39 component in existing curricula and the commissioner shall promulgate
40 any regulations needed to carry out such determination of the regents.
41 [For the purposes of this section, "tolerance," "respect for others" and
42 "dignity" shall include awareness and sensitivity to harassment, bully-
43 ing, discrimination and civility in the relations of people of different
44 races, weights, national origins, ethnic groups, religions, religious
45 practices, mental or physical abilities, sexual orientations, genders,
46 and sexes.]
47 3. The regents, in conjunction with the commissioner, shall ensure
48 that the course of instruction in grades kindergarten through twelve
49 includes a component on media literacy. Such component shall include
50 instruction of internet safety, civility, and digital citizenship with a
51 focus on the principles of safe, responsible use of the internet and
52 electronic communications. The boards of education and trustees of the
53 cities and school districts of the state shall require instruction to be
54 given in media literacy by the teachers employed in the schools therein.
55 If available, instruction in media literacy shall be provided by library
56 media specialists employed by the schools therein.
A. 5318--A 7
1 4. The commissioner, in conjunction with the regents, shall incorpo-
2 rate existing state media literacy standards into the component
3 described in subdivision two of this section and create a clear and
4 coherent set of media literacy education standards, which shall include,
5 but not be limited to, the following skills, experiences, and competen-
6 cies:
7 a. reading experiences balanced between literature and informational
8 texts, which include both print and digital sources;
9 b. integration and evaluation of content and information presented in
10 diverse media and formats, including visual, quantitative, and oral;
11 c. use of technology and digital tools, including the internet, for
12 writing and drawing to increase learning and communication and to inter-
13 act and collaborate with others;
14 d. writing of informative and explanatory texts to examine and convey
15 complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effec-
16 tive selection, organization, and analysis of content, including multi-
17 media;
18 e. strategic use of digital media and visual displays to express
19 information and enhance understanding of presentations;
20 f. the ability to assess how point of view or purpose shapes the
21 content and style of a text, drawing on a wide range of global and
22 diverse texts;
23 g. gathering of relevant information from multiple sources and assess-
24 ing the credibility and accuracy of such sources, for the purpose of
25 integrating such information in writing without plagiarizing;
26 h. effectively communicating conclusions and taking informed action
27 based on such conclusions;
28 i. the ability to create, produce, respond, interpret, and connect
29 with artistic work and techniques;
30 j. managing information with a focus on the ability to access and use
31 information obtained from other people, community resources, and comput-
32 er networks and using technology to acquire, organize, and communicate
33 information by entering, modifying, retrieving, and storing data;
34 k. demonstration of digital citizenship by maintaining ethical deci-
35 sion making and behavior and avoid the spread of misinformation in the
36 exchange and use of information;
37 l. use of digital tools to communicate and work with others to build
38 knowledge, convey ideas, learn with others, create and revise collabora-
39 tive products, support individual learning, and contribute to the learn-
40 ing of others;
41 m. use of digital tools to create and revise simple, complex, and
42 multimedia digital artifacts;
43 n. identification of ways other people put their own information into
44 online spaces;
45 o. the ability to explain how actions in online spaces can have conse-
46 quences in other spaces and the connection between the persistence of
47 data on the internet, personal online identity, and personal privacy;
48 p. actively managing digital presence and digital footprint to reflect
49 an understanding of the permanence and potential consequences of actions
50 in online spaces;
51 q. designing and implementing strategies that support safety and secu-
52 rity of digital information, personal identity, property, and physical
53 and mental health when operating in the digital world;
54 r. identifying types of cyberbullying and developing strategies to
55 combat cyberbullying and harassment; and
A. 5318--A 8
1 s. any additional media literacy standards outlined in state depart-
2 ment publications or in the codes, rules and regulations of the state of
3 New York, as deemed necessary.
4 5. The commissioner, in conjunction with the regents, shall update the
5 New York state professional teaching standards to incorporate media
6 literacy and educate library media specialists and teachers on the rele-
7 vant standards of media literacy so that library media specialists and
8 teachers can effectively incorporate such standards into their curric-
9 ulums.
10 6. The commissioner, in conjunction with the regents, shall annually
11 review the media literacy standards set forth in this section to ensure
12 such standards capture the full range of skills, experiences, and compe-
13 tencies that research indicates is necessary for media literacy, and
14 shall update such standards as necessary.
15 7. The media literacy standards set forth in this section shall serve
16 as an overview of the state's interdisciplinary approach to media liter-
17 acy education and shall emphasize the importance of media literacy for
18 civic readiness.
19 § 7. Subdivision 1 of section 2801 of the education law, as amended by
20 chapter 402 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
21 1. a. For purposes of this section, [school property] the following
22 terms shall have the following meanings:
23 (i) "School property" means:
24 (A) in or within any building, structure, athletic playing field,
25 playground, parking lot, or land contained within the real property
26 boundary line of a public elementary or secondary school; or
27 (B) in or on a school bus, as defined in section one hundred forty-two
28 of the vehicle and traffic law[; and a school function shall mean].
29 (ii) "School function" means a school-sponsored or school-authorized
30 [extra-curricular] extra curricular event or activity, regardless of
31 where such event or activity takes place, including any event or activ-
32 ity that may take place in another state.
33 b. This section shall also apply to cyberbullying, whether on or off
34 school property or at or away from a school function.
35 § 8. Subdivision 2 of section 3006-a of the education law, as added by
36 section 2 of subpart C of part EE of chapter 56 of the laws of 2015, is
37 amended and a new subdivision 4 is added to read as follows:
38 2. a. During each five-year registration period beginning on or after
39 July first, two thousand sixteen, an applicant for registration shall
40 successfully complete a minimum of one hundred hours of continuing
41 teacher and leader education, as defined by the commissioner. The
42 department shall issue rigorous standards for courses, programs, and
43 activities, that shall qualify as continuing teacher and leader educa-
44 tion pursuant to this section. For purposes of this section, a peer
45 review teacher, or a principal acting as an independent trained evalu-
46 ator, conducting a classroom observation as part of the teacher evalu-
47 ation system pursuant to section three thousand twelve-d of this article
48 may credit such time towards his or her continuing teacher and leader
49 effectiveness requirements.
50 b. During each five-year registration period beginning on or after a
51 date which shall be determined by the commissioner, any teacher who is
52 an applicant for registration shall successfully complete a minimum of
53 five hours of professional development related to media literacy educa-
54 tion and any library media specialist shall complete a minimum of
55 fifteen hours of professional development related to media literacy
56 education, as defined by the commissioner. Such professional develop-
A. 5318--A 9
1 ment related to media literacy education shall be counted toward the one
2 hundred hours of continuing teacher and leader education required by
3 paragraph a of this subdivision. The commissioner shall require that:
4 (i) professional development related to media literacy education
5 incorporates the principles and practices of the department's culturally
6 responsive-sustaining framework;
7 (ii) professional development related to media literacy education is
8 provided by or in coordination with a library media specialist or an
9 employee from a school district's library system in every school
10 district;
11 (iii) library media specialists in every school district receive
12 specific training in how to provide professional development related to
13 media literacy education to teachers of all grade levels and subject
14 areas contained in their schools, which shall include instruction on how
15 to effectively integrate media literacy education into such teachers'
16 curricula; and
17 (iv) the department creates and provides model curricula and teaching
18 and professional development resources which incorporate media literacy
19 education on its website.
20 c. During each five-year registration period beginning on or after a
21 date which shall be determined by the commissioner, any teacher who is
22 an applicant for registration shall successfully complete a minimum of
23 five hours of professional development related to articles two and two-A
24 of this chapter. Such professional development shall be counted toward
25 the one hundred hours of continuing teacher and leader education
26 required by paragraph a of this subdivision. The commissioner shall
27 require that:
28 (i) professional development related to articles two and two-A of this
29 chapter incorporates the principles and practices of the department's
30 culturally responsive-sustaining framework;
31 (ii) professional development related to articles two and two-A of
32 this chapter is provided by or in coordination with a teacher or guid-
33 ance counselor in every school district; and
34 (iii) the department creates and provides model curricula and teaching
35 and professional development resources which incorporate the principles
36 and practices articulated in articles two and two-A of this chapter on
37 its website.
38 d. Nothing in this section shall limit the ability of local school
39 districts to agree pursuant to collective bargaining to additional hours
40 of professional development or continuing teacher or leader education
41 above the minimum requirements set forth in this section.
42 [c.] e. A certified individual who has not satisfied the continuing
43 teacher and leader education requirements shall not be issued a five-
44 year registration certificate by the department and shall not practice
45 unless and until a registration or conditional registration certificate
46 is issued as provided in subdivision three of this section. For purposes
47 of this subdivision, "continuing teacher and leader education require-
48 ments" shall mean activities designed to improve the teacher or leader's
49 pedagogical and/or leadership skills, targeted at improving student
50 performance, including but not limited to formal continuing teacher and
51 leader education activities. Such activities shall promote the profes-
52 sionalization of teaching and be closely aligned to district goals for
53 student performance which meet the standards prescribed by regulations
54 of the commissioner. To fulfill the continuing teacher and leader educa-
55 tion requirement, programs must be taken from sponsors approved by the
A. 5318--A 10
1 department, which shall include but not be limited to school districts,
2 pursuant to the regulations of the commissioner.
3 4. For the purposes of this section, "library media specialist" shall
4 mean an individual employed by a school district as a library media
5 specialist pursuant to section 91.2 of title eight of the codes, rules
6 and regulations of the state of New York.
7 § 9. The sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000), or so much
8 thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of
9 education out of moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to the
10 credit of the state purposes account, not otherwise appropriated, and
11 made immediately available, for the purposes of carrying out the
12 provisions of this act. Five million dollars ($5,000,000) of such funds
13 shall be used for purposes including, but not limited to, the develop-
14 ment and distribution of teacher trainings, model lessons, and continu-
15 ing education classes. Five million dollars ($5,000,000) of such funds
16 shall be used for purposes including, but not limited to, the develop-
17 ment and implementation of media literacy standards, teacher trainings,
18 and continuing professional development. Five million dollars
19 ($5,000,000) of such funds shall be used for purposes including, but not
20 limited to, the development and distribution of policies, standards, and
21 trainings related to suicide prevention. Such moneys shall be payable on
22 the audit and warrant of the state comptroller on vouchers certified or
23 approved by the commissioner of the department of education in the
24 manner prescribed by law.
25 § 10. This act shall take effect immediately.
