BILL NUMBER: S518A
SPONSOR: PERSAUD
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, the general municipal law and the
town law, in relation to requiring the inclusion of diversity and inclu-
sion training in the basic training and pre-employment course curric-
ulums for state police officers and municipal police officers and sher-
iffs; to amend the general municipal law, in relation to requiring the
inclusion of diversity and inclusion training in the basic training and
pre-employment course curricula for members of fire departments and
companies; to amend the correction law, in relation to requiring the
inclusion of diversity and inclusion training in the basic training and
pre-employment course curricula for correction officers; and to amend
the public health law, in relation to requiring the inclusion of diver-
sity and inclusion training in the basic training and pre-employment
course curricula for career first responders, emergency medical techni-
cians and advanced emergency medical technicians
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This legislation would mandate all first responder training courses
including those for municipal police officers, State Police, corrections
officers, firefighters, and EMS) to require that five percent of the
overall content and courses required for these professions consist of
diversity and inclusion training. These trainings should specifically
focus on biases related to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation,
religion, age, and disability, special needs, among others.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Sections 1 adds a new section 214-g to the executive law requiring the
Superintendent of the State Police to establish policies and procedures
requiring training courses for the New York State Police to include
training in the areas of diversity and inclusion, including specific
training pertaining to sensitivity to issues of race, ethnicity, gender,
sexual orientation, religion, age, and disability, special needs, among
others. The section also sets forth that training curricula on this
matter will not comprise less than five percent of the course curric-
ulum.
Sections 2-6 add a section to the general municipal law, the town law,
the correction law, and the public health law mandating municipal police
officers, firefighters, corrections officers, first responders, emergen-
cy medical technicians and advanced emergency medical technicians train-
ing courses implement the same training requirements as found in section
214-g of the executive law.
Section 7 sets forth the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Currently, the various state agencies that oversee training courses only
require minimal hours of diversity and inclusion training throughout the
entire course. This means that these individuals could spend as little
as 1 percent of their training focused on issues related to race,
ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, special needs and
disability. According to a 2016 U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of
Justice Statics bulletin: "State and Local Law Enforcement Training
Academies, 2013", police officers typically receive about 131 hours on
firearm skills and self-defense; 40 hours on community policing strate-
gies (up from 8 hours in 2006); but only 12 hours on cultural diversity
and human relations and 9 hours on mediation and conflict management.
Additional training will not only assist in handling racial biases, but
countless other situations that our first responders and corrections
officers find themselves in during their careers, including mental
health crises, interactions with the LGBTQ community, and domestic and
sexual abuse cases, as a few examples.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S1211 - Passed Senate
2021-2022: S341-A Referred to Finance
2020: S8579 Referred to Rules
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act Shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S518: 204-d general municipal law, 3002 public health law
S518A: 204-d general municipal law, 3002 public health law