Relates to establishing an educational program related to the prevention of sexual harassment in schools by contracting with an outside entity who has expertise in sexual harassment training in schools.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5159--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 7, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ARROYO, RAMOS, D'URSO, GLICK, DICKENS, DAVILA,
BRONSON, PICHARDO, FERNANDEZ, STIRPE, SIMON, EPSTEIN, BLAKE, CRUZ,
M. G. MILLER, RIVERA, DeSTEFANO, ORTIZ, JEAN-PIERRE, SCHMITT, FAHY,
TITUS, SAYEGH, WILLIAMS, RAYNOR -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
DE LA ROSA -- 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, in relation to establishing an educa-
tional program related to the prevention of sexual harassment in
schools
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
2 subdivision 57 to read as follows:
3 57. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, and
4 subject to an appropriation, the department shall contract with an
5 outside entity who has expertise in sexual harassment training in
6 schools to establish a sexual harassment prevention and education
7 program overseen by such department. The commissioner shall work with
8 such outside entity, to establish and develop an educational program
9 within such department related to the prevention of sexual harassment in
10 grades kindergarten through twelve. Such program shall be further
11 defined by such commissioner in regulation and shall be designed to
12 educate students, parents and school personnel about the prevention of
13 sexual harassment in schools. Such commissioner, in collaboration with
14 any other stakeholder groups deemed appropriate by such commissioner,
15 shall develop:
16 a. the sexual harassment prevention and education program prepared by
17 an outside expert organization into age-appropriate model curriculum
18 resources, including exemplar lesson plans, and best practice instruc-
19 tional resources for students, parents and school personnel designed to
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09033-03-9
A. 5159--A 2
1 prevent sexual harassment in schools. Such model curriculum, resources,
2 lesson plans and instructional resources shall include but not be limit-
3 ed to guidelines and methods of prevention, indicators and warning signs
4 of sexual harassment, guidelines and methods to prevent sexual harass-
5 ment and how to report complaints of sexual harassment in schools. Such
6 model curriculum shall be made available to school boards, school super-
7 intendents, their equivalents, and teachers for voluntary implementation
8 in health education classes and in health education coursework;
9 b. instructional tools and materials for students, parents and school
10 personnel, which shall include updated information on how to report
11 sexual harassment in schools, with a review of such information to occur
12 periodically, at intervals deemed appropriate by such commissioner; and
13 c. public availability of all materials related to the sexual harass-
14 ment education program on such department's website in Spanish, Creole,
15 Mandarin, Korean, Bengali and any other language predominantly spoken by
16 the population of the state.
17 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
18 the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
19 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
20 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized
21 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.