NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A3093
SPONSOR: Fahy TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to certain factors
considered in the determination of hazardous child safety zones
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to certain factors
considered in the determination of hazardous child safety zones
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends subdivision 3 of section 3635-b of the education law.
Adds violent crime rates and the density of vacant properties as condi-
tions that can be used to justify the creation of a child safety zone.
JUSTIFICATION:
A 2019 report of the Governors Highway Safety Association recently found
that pedestrian deaths in the United States are at a 30-year high. The
problem is particularly pernicious for K-12 students in New York, as
school districts cannot be reimbursed for pupil transport of a distance
less than 1.5 miles, although these pupil often must travel through
hazardous conditions. In particular, students who live in neighborhoods
with high crimes rates or with deteriorating buildings face threats to
their safety while they walk to school. This legislation adds violent
crime statistics and the density of vacant buildings as justifications
for the creation of child safety zones, as these are indicators of
potential hazards to children. Allowing school districts to receive
reimbursement for an expanded definition of child safety zones will
better enable districts to keep students safe.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A7242 2019-20
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3093
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. FAHY -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to certain factors
considered in the determination of hazardous child safety zones
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 3635-b of the education law, as
2 amended by chapter 403 of the laws of 1992, is amended to read as
3 follows:
4 3. The commissioner of transportation shall establish regulations for
5 determination of a hazardous zone including, but not limited to, such
6 factors as the existence or nonexistence of sidewalks or walkways, the
7 type of road surface, width of road, footpath or sidewalk, the volume
8 and average speed of traffic, density of population, violent crime
9 statistics, density of vacant buildings or structures, the commercial,
10 industrial or residential character of the area and the existence or
11 nonexistence of traffic safety features such as traffic lights, street
12 lights and traffic patrols. In preparing such regulations, the commis-
13 sioner of transportation shall consult with the commissioners of educa-
14 tion and motor vehicles and representatives from the state police who
15 have traffic safety responsibilities. Such regulations shall be used by
16 boards of education in determining whether a hazardous zone exists.
17 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02290-01-1
