BILL NUMBER: S194A
SPONSOR: MARTINEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general business law and the executive law, in
relation to school security guards
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to equip school security guards with the
adequate training to mitigate issues that arise in an educational envi-
ronment pertaining to the youth population.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Amends subdivision 1 of section 89-n of the general business
law to provide security guards employed or contracted by a school, an
annual in-service training course which must cover topics conducive to
serving the youth population in an educational environment, including
but not limited to, role and responsibility of school security officers,
school-related laws and liability, security awareness in an educational
environment, youth mediation/conflict resolution, disasters and emergen-
cies, dynamics of student behavior and cultural awareness, crisis
prevention and restorative practices.
Section 2. Amends subdivision 7 of section 841 of the executive law to
provide that the division of criminal justice services consult with
departments and agencies concerned with school security guards.
Section 3. Is the enacting clause
 
JUSTIFICATION:
To gain employment as a school security guard, one must obtain a general
security guard license which can be earned upon completion of a course.
With this license, one can pursue employment as a security guard in
various sectors i.e., retail, schools, etc. However, serving in a school
environment requires additional knowledge and training which the current
course for the license does not include. This bill equips security
guards with the appropriate training and skills necessary to solve
conflicts that arise within the schools by adding additional topics to
the licensing course.
In March 2022, a school security guard at Lincoln Middle School in
Wisconsin used a knee-on-neck restraint technique for more than half a
minute on a 12-year old girl prior to handcuffing her after breaking up
a fight. A lawsuit alleges the use of excessive force and a failure to
provide the security guard with adequate training. By amending the stat-
utory requirements of topics which must be covered in the security guard
licensing course to include role and responsibility of school security
officers, school-related laws and liability, security awareness in an
educational environment, youth mediation/conflict resolution, disasters
and emergencies, dynamics of student behavior, cultural awareness,
crisis prevention, and restorative practices, we can ensure tragedies
like this do not occur in our state.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law.

Statutes affected:
S194: 841 executive law, 841(7) executive law
S194A: 89-n general business law, 89-n(1) general business law, 841 executive law, 841(7) executive law