Encourages school districts to give opportunities to students by giving priority to outside groups which encourage community for students to use school facilities.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8008
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 15, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. COONEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to encouraging school
districts to prioritize civic organizations which encourage community
for students in allowing outside groups to use school facilities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 414 of the education law is amended by adding a new
2 subdivision 3 to read as follows:
3 3. Local boards which grant access to school facilities by external
4 organizations shall give priority in the use of such facilities to any
5 youth group listed in title 36 of the United States code as a patriotic
6 society, including but not limited to Scouting America, formerly known
7 as Boy Scouts of America, and its affiliated New York groups and coun-
8 cils, and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America and its affil-
9 iated New York groups and councils, in order to facilitate access for
10 students to participate in activities provided by these groups at times
11 outside of the school day for the purpose of encouraging civic educa-
12 tion.
13 § 2. Section 2503 of the education law is amended by adding a new
14 subdivision 8-a to read as follows:
15 8-a. Local boards which grant access to school facilities by external
16 organizations shall give priority in the use of such facilities to any
17 youth group listed in title 36 of the United States code as a patriotic
18 society, including but not limited to Scouting America, formerly known
19 as Boy Scouts of America, and its affiliated New York groups and coun-
20 cils, and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America and its affil-
21 iated New York groups and councils, in order to facilitate access for
22 students to participate in activities provided by these groups at times
23 outside of the school day for the purpose of encouraging civic educa-
24 tion.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11878-01-5
S. 8008 2
1 § 3. Section 2554 of the education law is amended by adding a new
2 subdivision 6-a to read as follows:
3 6-a. Local boards which grant access to school facilities by external
4 organizations shall give priority in the use of such facilities to any
5 youth group listed in title 36 of the United States code as a patriotic
6 society, including but not limited to Scouting America, formerly known
7 as Boy Scouts of America, and its affiliated New York groups and coun-
8 cils, and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America and its affil-
9 iated New York groups and councils, in order to facilitate access for
10 students to participate in activities provided by these groups at times
11 outside of the school day for the purpose of encouraging civic educa-
12 tion.
13 § 4. Paragraph (a-1) of subdivision 3 of section 2853 of the education
14 law is amended by adding a new subparagraph (iii) to read as follows:
15 (iii) Charter schools which grant access to school facilities by
16 external organizations shall give priority in the use of such facilities
17 to any youth group listed in title 36 of the United States code as a
18 patriotic society, including but not limited to Scouting America,
19 formerly known as Boy Scouts of America, and its affiliated New York
20 groups and councils, and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America
21 and its affiliated New York groups and councils, in order to facilitate
22 access for students to participate in activities provided by these
23 groups at times outside of the school day for the purpose of encouraging
24 civic education.
25 § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
