STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9342
IN ASSEMBLY
April 16, 2014
___________
Introduced by M. of A. NOLAN, BENEDETTO, CLARK, COLTON, COOK, DINOWITZ,
JAFFEE, LIFTON, MAGNARELLI, MARKEY, MILLMAN, O'DONNELL, OTIS, ROBIN-
SON, ROSA, ROSENTHAL -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BRAUNSTEIN,
CAMARA, GLICK, HIKIND, MOSLEY, SCHIMEL -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to safety requirements
for school science laboratories and teacher training about laboratory
safety
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 409-l
2 to read as follows:
3 § 409-l. School science laboratories. The principal or administrator
4 of any school building with a science laboratory shall report to his or
5 her school district by September first of each year that:
6 1. the school building classrooms used for laboratory demonstrations
7 and instruction meet fire and safety code requirements for such activ-
8 ities;
9 2. the school has the equipment to assure the safety of property,
10 students and teachers during any laboratory demonstrations and instruc-
11 tion;
12 3. the teachers and any teaching assistants using school science labo-
13 ratories are properly trained and up to date with safety training as
14 required by section three thousand four of this chapter; and
15 4. all science classes with laboratory demonstration or instruction
16 shall include class time for students to learn about laboratory safety
17 before any such demonstration or instruction is undertaken.
18 § 2. Section 3004 of the education law is amended by adding two new
19 subdivisions 7 and 8 to read as follows:
20 7. a. The commissioner shall prescribe regulations requiring that all
21 persons applying on or after September second, two thousand fifteen for
22 a teaching certificate or license as a science teacher shall, in addi-
23 tion to all the other certification or licensing requirements, have
24 completed enhanced course work or training in science laboratory safety.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14682-02-4
A. 9342 2
1 The enhanced course work or training shall be obtained from an institu-
2 tion or provider which has been approved by the department to provide
3 such course work or training in the needs of science laboratory safety.
4 b. The commissioner shall assure that teacher preparation insti-
5 tutions, in the two thousand fourteen--two thousand fifteen academic
6 year, include instruction in science laboratory safety in all programs
7 leading to certification as a science teacher.
8 8. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commissioner is
9 authorized and empowered to certify or require training of teachers,
10 administrators and instructors in the area of laboratory safety. The
11 commissioner shall have the power to prescribe the necessary regulations
12 and establish such programs and training related to laboratory safety.
13 Such programs and training shall be obtained from an institution or
14 provider which has been approved by the department to provide such
15 programs and training, except that a school district or board of cooper-
16 ative educational services may provide such training as part of its
17 professional development program.
18 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
