Enacts the "VIP program"; establishes a virtual inclusion plan grant fund which will give grants to schools to implement technologies allowing for critically ill students to continue to maintain their studies while unable to attend class; makes a five hundred thousand dollar appropriation therefor.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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229--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
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Introduced by M. of A. STIRPE -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted
as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law and the state finance law, in relation
to enacting the "VIP program"; 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. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "VIP
2 program".
3 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3641-c to
4 read as follows:
5 § 3641-c. Virtual inclusion plan grant program. 1. The commissioner
6 shall establish a program of competitively awarded grants within the
7 amount in the virtual inclusion plan grant fund established under
8 section ninety-seven-tttt of the state finance law each year to public
9 school districts to purchase technology which would enable students to
10 participate in classroom activities remotely if a medical condition
11 precludes them from attending in-person classroom sessions.
12 2. For a public school district to qualify for a grant under this
13 program, the public school district shall promulgate a remote classroom
14 virtual inclusion policy which establishes guidelines for when a student
15 would be eligible for remote classroom virtual inclusion teaching due to
16 a medical condition. The policy should also be in compliance with the
17 rules and regulations set forth by the commissioner as well as laws as
18 they pertain to classroom attendance requirements.
19 3. The commissioner shall promulgate any necessary rules and regu-
20 lations for the application and distribution of any funds pursuant to
21 this section.
22 § 3. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 97-tttt
23 to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00504-02-9
A. 229--A 2
1 § 97-tttt. Virtual inclusion plan grant fund. 1. There is hereby
2 established in the joint custody of the commissioner of education and
3 the comptroller a fund to be known as the "virtual inclusion plan grant
4 fund".
5 2. The fund shall consist of all monies appropriated for its purpose,
6 and all monies required by this section or any other provision of law to
7 be paid into or credited to such fund. The fund shall not contain any
8 monies which are not intended for the fund.
9 3. Monies of the fund, when allocated, shall be available pursuant to
10 section thirty-six hundred forty-one-c of the education law.
11 4. Monies shall be payable from the fund on the audit and warrant of
12 the state comptroller on vouchers approved and certified by the commis-
13 sioner of education.
14 § 4. The sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), or so much
15 thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of
16 education out of any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to
17 the credit of the virtual inclusion plan grant program, not otherwise
18 appropriated, and made immediately available, for the purpose of carry-
19 ing out the provisions of this act. Such moneys shall be payable on the
20 audit and warrant of the comptroller on vouchers certified or approved
21 by the commissioner of education in the manner prescribed by law.
22 § 5. This act shall take effect April 1, 2021.
