BILL NUMBER: S2024A
SPONSOR: ADDABBO
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law and the election law, in relation to
school session days
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to prohibit schools from being in session on
Election Day. Additionally, this bill seeks to provide school districts
the ability to require staff attendance or a professional development
day on Election Day. Lastly, this bill provides schools with the ability
to appeal their designation as a polling place.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one - amends the Education Law to add general election day to
the list of no school session days.
Section two - amends the Election Law to afford public school districts
the opportunity to appeal a school building designation as a polling
place.
Section three - sets forth the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In recent years, school safety has become an issue of discussion across
the country to which schools in New York have responded by adopting
several safety and security measures. For instance, most schools have
adopted a policy of locking their doors while in session to prevent
people from entering without first signing in and providing proper iden-
tification. However, on General Election Day, that policy is suspended
by the schools that provide the general public polling locations.
Recognizing this issue, the City of,New York designated General Election
Day as a non-student attendance day. In other words, this bill would not
invent a novel concept, but rather expand a policy that has already been
adopted by the State's largest municipality.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2015-16: A.6040-B/S.4787-A - Referred to Education/Education
2017-18: A.444/S.1041 - Referred to Education/Education
2019-20: A.815-A - Referred to Education
2021-22: A.6108 - Referred to Education
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect January 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S2024: 3604 education law, 3604(8) education law
S2024A: 3604 education law, 3604(8) education law, 4-104 election law, 4-104(3) election law