Enacts the "school security guard training enhancement act"; provides requirements for a specialized certification for school security guards, including, but not limited to, retired police officers; requires topics including, but not limited to, the role and responsibility of school security officers, school-related laws and liability, security awareness in the educational environment, mediation/conflict resolution, disasters and emergencies and dynamics of student behavior be covered in such training and program; provides that such specialized certification and training program shall be implemented and enforced by the department of criminal justice services, in consultation with the division of homeland security and emergency services, state police and local law enforcement.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5903A
SPONSOR: Jean-Pierre TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to enacting the
"school security guard training enhancement act"
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to equip school security guards with
adequate training conducive to mitigating issues that arise in an educa-
tional environment pertaining to the youth population.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new article
7-B that provides any individual seeking to gain employment as a school
security guard, including but not limited to police officers that have
been retired for more than five years, are required to obtain additional
training in the form of a specialized certification. This certification
will cover topics conducive to serving the youth population in an educa-
tional environment, including but not limited to, role and responsibil-
ity of school security officers, school-related laws and liability,
security awareness in an educational environment, youth
mediation/conflict resolution, disasters and emergencies, dynamics of
student behavior and cultural awareness.
This amendment further provides this specialized training program shall
be implemented and enforced by the Department of Criminal Justice
Services, in consultation with the Division of Homeland
Security and state police. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and
regulations related to determining if prior experience and training
satisfies the curriculum set forth in the certification. The commission-
er shall also determine the period of time after this section becomes
law an individual will have to obtain such certification to retain
employment as a school security guard.
Section 2. Is the enacting clause.
JUSTIFICATION:
The recent incidents of violence in schools have brought to light the
critical need for increased school safety measures. As a society, we
have a responsibility to ensure that our schools are safe and secure
environments for students, staff, and faculty. One of the key components
of this effort is to equip school security guards with the appropriate
training and skills necessary to keep our schools safe.
To obtain employment as a school security guard, one must possess a
general security guard license. While this license enables individuals
to work as security guards in various sectors, such as retail, it does
not include the specialized training that is required to work in a
school environment. This training includes youth mediation and conflict
resolution, school-specific roles and responsibilities, and a deep
understanding of student behavior.
The recent incident at Lincoln Middle School in Wisconsin, where a secu-
rity guard used excessive force on a student, is a vivid example of the
need for specialized training for school security guards. This lawsuit
alleges the security guard was not provided with adequate training,
leading to the use of inappropriate force.
This bill will provide the necessary training and skills to equip school
security guards to not only resolve internal conflicts in a safe manner
but also to serve as a first line of defense against external threats.
With this training, school security guards will be better equipped to
prevent future incidents of school violence and to create a safer learn-
ing environment for our students.
In conclusion, investing in specialized training for school security
guards is an investment in the safety and well-being of our students and
our communities. Let us take the necessary steps to protect our schools
and our students by ensuring that school security guards are equipped
with the training and skills they need to succeed.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5903--A
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 24, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. JEAN-PIERRE -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Economic Development -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to enacting the
"school security guard training enhancement act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new article
2 7-B to read as follows:
3 ARTICLE 7-B
4 SCHOOL SECURITY GUARD TRAINING ENHANCEMENT ACT
5 Section 89-e-1. Short title.
6 89-f-1. Requirements for a specialized certification.
7 89-g-1. Implementation and enforcement.
8 § 89-e-1. Short title. This article shall be known and may be cited as
9 the "school security guard training enhancement act".
10 § 89-f-1. Requirements for a specialized certification. School secu-
11 rity guards employed or contracted by a school in this state, including,
12 but not limited to, retired police officers that have been retired for
13 more than five years, shall obtain a specialized certification, in addi-
14 tion to the general security guard license required by article seven-A
15 of this chapter. Such specialized certification shall require the
16 completion of a school-specific training program, including, but not
17 limited to, role and responsibility of school security officers, school-
18 related laws and liability, security awareness in the educational envi-
19 ronment, youth mediation/conflict resolution, disasters and emergencies,
20 dynamics of student behavior and cultural awareness, restorative
21 justice, crisis prevention, and the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA).
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06438-09-3
A. 5903--A 2
1 § 89-g-1. Implementation and enforcement. 1. The specialized training
2 program shall be implemented and enforced by the department of educa-
3 tion, in consultation with the department of criminal justice services,
4 the division of homeland security, state police and local law enforce-
5 ment. Such training program shall be standardized and approved state-
6 wide.
7 2. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations relating to
8 prior training and experience satisfying the training requirements of
9 the specialized certification.
10 3. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations concerning
11 the period of time after this section becomes a law when the program
12 shall be implemented.
13 4. The commissioner shall, upon implementation of the certification
14 program, determine a period of time not to exceed one year that individ-
15 uals will have to obtain such certificate to continue serving as a
16 school security guard.
17 5. Nothing in this section shall supersede the language of any collec-
18 tively bargained agreement subject to article fourteen of the civil
19 service law. Any costs associated with this training, or leave time
20 required, shall be subject to a collectively bargained agreement under
21 article fourteen of the civil service law.
22 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
23 it shall have become a law.
