Requires annual reporting by city school districts in cities with a population of over two hundred fifty thousand regarding the arbitration process in teacher disciplinary proceedings.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5250
SPONSOR: Novakhov TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to reporting requirements
regarding financial expenditures related to certain teacher disciplinary
proceedings
PURPOSE:
To ensure comprehensive transparency and robust accountability in the
financial expenditures associated with the NY LAW Chapter 16 Title 4
Article 61 Section 3020-a arbitration process in cities with significant
populations and unionized employment.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill establishes the title of the bill as the "3020-a
arbitration process reporting act."
Section 2 declares the necessity for transparency and accountability in
the financial expenditures of the 3020-a arbitration process for cities
with large populations and union contracts.
Section 3 provides the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
The mandate for an annual itemized financial report of the 3020-a arbi-
tration process is crucial for ensuring, transparency and accountability
in the utilization of public funds. By providing comprehensive and
detailed financial information, citizens and elected officials can gain
deeper insights into the expenditures associated with the arbitration
process, facilitating more responsible and effective fiscal management.
This, in turn, will enhance public trust, support informed decision-mak-
ing, and promote a culture of transparency and accountability within
city governance.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023 - 2024, A.10685, not considered
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The preparation and submission of the annual report will incur minimal
costs. These costs are justified by the substantial benefits of
increased transparency and accountability provided by the reporting
requirements, which are expected to lead to more efficient use of.
public resources and improved governance outcomes.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5250
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 12, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. NOVAKHOV -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to reporting requirements
regarding financial expenditures related to certain teacher discipli-
nary proceedings
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 "3020-a arbitration process reporting act".
3 § 2. Legislative findings and declaration of purpose. It is in the
4 public interest to ensure transparency and accountability in the finan-
5 cial expenditures of school districts in cities with a population
6 exceeding 250,000 that have a collective bargaining agreement. The
7 3020-a arbitration process, as established under section 3020-a of the
8 education law, involves significant financial expenditures that should
9 be disclosed to ensure responsible fiscal management. The citizens and
10 elected officials of such cities have a right to be informed about the
11 financial aspects of the 3020-a arbitration process to promote public
12 trust and informed decision-making. Further, detailed financial report-
13 ing can help identify trends, inefficiencies, and opportunities for
14 reform in the arbitration process and transparency in the arbitration
15 process can contribute to better labor relations and more effective
16 governance.
17 § 3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3020-b to
18 read as follows:
19 § 3020-b. Arbitration process reporting. 1. Any city school district
20 in a city with a population exceeding two hundred fifty thousand that
21 has a collective bargaining agreement shall prepare an annual itemized
22 financial report on the arbitration process established pursuant to
23 section three thousand twenty-a of this article.
24 2. Such report shall include, but not be limited to:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08984-01-5
A. 5250 2
1 a. every case processed pursuant to the arbitration process estab-
2 lished pursuant to section three thousand twenty-a of this article in
3 such city school district during the previous school year;
4 b. the amount of money spent on each case, itemized by expense catego-
5 ry, including but not limited to legal fees, arbitrator fees, and admin-
6 istrative costs;
7 c. the duration of each case;
8 d. the specific charges brought in each case;
9 e. the final resolution or outcome of each case; and
10 f. a summary page, which shall include but not be limited to:
11 (i) the total number of cases processed pursuant to the arbitration
12 process established pursuant to section three thousand twenty-a of this
13 article in such city school district during the previous school year;
14 (ii) the average amount of money spent per case;
15 (iii) the total amount of money spent on all cases;
16 (iv) the average duration of each case;
17 (v) the types of charges brought in such cases; and
18 (vi) the number of cases that resulted in a particular resolution or
19 outcome.
20 3. a. No later than March first of each year, each city school
21 district required to prepare such report pursuant to subdivision one of
22 this section shall submit such report to the comptroller, the assembly
23 ways and means committee, the senate finance committee, and all members
24 of the assembly or senate representing each such city.
25 b. Such report shall be made publicly available on the website of each
26 such city and through public records requests.
27 4. a. The assembly ways and means committee and the senate finance
28 committee shall hold annual public hearings to review and discuss the
29 annual reports required pursuant to this section. Such public hearings
30 shall allow for public input and commentary on the findings of such
31 reports.
32 b. The assembly ways and means committee and the senate finance
33 committee shall issue annual summaries of the findings and recommenda-
34 tions contained in such annual reports and discussed at such annual
35 public hearings.
36 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
