Provides for the viewing of photo or video footage captured by a camera installed inside a school bus, by a parent or guardian of a pupil, when such parent, guardian or pupil reports any incident of physical harm, harassment, intimidation or bullying occurring against the pupil while such pupil travelled on such school bus.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8366
SPONSOR: Simpson TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to providing for the
viewing of footage captured by an interior school bus camera in certain
circumstances
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill will provide parents and guardians with a reasonable path
towards accessing available video & photographic documentation that
pertains to any incident occurring on a school bus that results in the
potential impairment of their child's well-being.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
School boards throughout New York State will establish policies to allow
for viewing of photo or video footage captured by camera installed
inside a school bus, by a parent or guardian of a pupil when an instance
of physical harm, harassment, intimidation, or bullying has occurred.
JUSTIFICATION:
The safety and well-being of our children is among the first and fore-
most responsibilities our school districts are tasked with. Fulfilling
this duty in the most literal sense often begins and ends with a child's
experience on the bus ride to and from school.
Student safety best practices first begins with creating an environment
that is conducive to establishing routinely positive and constructive
experiences. The second is in the remedy through which incidents of
undesirable experiences are resolved.
Video monitoring systems help provide a record of overall rider behav-
iors and provide vital context when investigating inappropriate behav-
iors. Ensuring availability of this record in the fullest extent not
just for school administration but parents as well, is essential in
providing the necessary tools to resolve individual cases as well as
potential problems that require long term fundamental issues as well.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill shall take place immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8366
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
October 20, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SIMPSON -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to providing for the
viewing of footage captured by an interior school bus camera in
certain circumstances
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 3638
2 to read as follows:
3 § 3638. Access to school bus camera footage. 1. Each board of educa-
4 tion or board of trustees shall adopt policies to allow for the viewing
5 of photo or video footage captured by a camera installed inside a school
6 bus, as such term is defined in section one hundred forty-two of the
7 vehicle and traffic law, by a parent or guardian of a pupil who is
8 transported to and from school or to and from school-sponsored activ-
9 ities by such school bus, when such parent, guardian or pupil reports
10 any incident of physical harm, harassment, intimidation or bullying
11 occurring against the pupil while such pupil travelled on such school
12 bus.
13 2. The policies adopted by each board of education or board of trus-
14 tees shall require footage to be viewed under the supervision of the
15 director of schools, the school principal or a school official. Such
16 policies shall comply with applicable state regulations and federal
17 privacy laws. Such policies may establish a process or timeframe by
18 which a parent or guardian shall request access to view the photo or
19 video footage in accordance with this section.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11805-01-1
