BILL NUMBER: S3397A
SPONSOR: SKOUFIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a maximum
temperature in school buildings and indoor facilities
 
PURPOSE:
This bill requires that all school facilities establish a maximum
temperature to ensure the health and safety of students, faculty, and
staff and to remedy classroom temperature when conditions become a
health risk.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends education law by adding a new section 409-n, which
creates maximum temperatures in school building and facilities. For the
purpose of this section, room temperature shall be measured at a shaded
location, three feet above the floor near the center of the room. When
schools reach maximum internal temperature, schools must follow proce-
dures for emergency evacuation as detailed currently in education law.
Section 2: Amends education law by requiting extreme heat conditions to
be added to building level emergency plans developed by the building-
level emergency response team established by a school district.
Section 3: Sets effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
While the state imposes a minimum classroom temperature, there are
currently no statutory limits on maximum temperatures in school build-
ings and indoor facilities throughout New York State to ensure that
excessive temperatures do not create health and safety risks to students
and faculty members.
This legislation will fix this by defining a maximum temperature in
school buildings and requiring schools to design and follow procedures
for emergency evacuations.
 
LEGISLATIVE FISTORY:
Senate
2017-2018 - S6351A, Referred to Education 2020 -S1626A, Referred to
Education
2021-2022- S1825A, Referred to Education
Assembly
2017-2018 - A7955A, Referred to Education
2020 - A7425A, Referred to Education
2021-2022- A8214B, Referred to Education
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred-eightieth day after it
shall have become a law.

Statutes affected:
S3397: 2801-a education law, 2801-a(3) education law
S3397A: 2801-a education law, 2801-a(3) education law