Source: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2017/s9074/amendment/a
Timestamp: 2019-10-20 22:16:10
Document Index: 521558819

Matched Legal Cases: ['§15', '§16', '§ 2', '§ 15', '§ 3', '§ 16']

NY State Senate Bill S9074A
senate Bill S9074A
Get Status Alerts for S9074A
ordered to third reading cal.1993
Jun 15, 2018 print number 9074a
S9074A
S9074 - Details
Add §15-a, amd §16, Ed L
2015-2016: A10534
2019-2020: S760, A8259
S9074 - Summary
Relates to enacting Jacobe's Law in relation to requiring school administrators to contact the parents or guardians of students when bullying or harassment has occurred.
S9074 - Sponsor Memo
BILL NUMBER: S9074
enacting "Jacobe's law"
To ensure a "reasonable and good faith effort" is made by school admin-
istrators to notify parents or guardians when there is a verified inci-
dent of harassment, bullying or discrimination in school.
Section 1 of the bill cites the act as Jacobe's Law.
Section 2 of the bill amends Education Law to require a school employee
to investigate and verify that a reported incident of harassment, bully-
ing or discrimination has occurred. Upon a verified incident of harass-
ment, bullying or discrimination, a licensed or certified school counse-
lor, social worker or psychologist must discuss with each student
involved in the incident whether they have any health, safety or privacy
concerns. Any discussions must be documented. If a student does not
express a health, safety or privacy concern, then the school employee
must make a reasonable and good faith effort to contact a student's
parent or person in parental relation by telephone, mail, email or other
means to discuss the incident and ways to effectively address the situ-
ation. If a student does express a health, safety or privacy concern,
then school counselor, social worker or psychologist shall determine,
using their professional judgment, if contacting a student's parent or
person in parental relation would be in the best interest of the
Section 3 of the bill amends the immunity provisions provided by article
2 of Education Law.
In April 2015, 13-year-old Jacobe Tares tragically took his own life
after having been subjected to bullying and harassing behavior.  Sadly,
this tragedy is not an isolated incident as bullying continues to nega-
tively impact hundreds of thousands of students on a daily basis in
schools across New York State and throughout our nation.
As noted on the American Society for the Positive Care of Children's
(SPCC) website, approximately 28 percent of students ages 12-18 reported
being bullied at school during the school year, according to the Indica-
tors of School Crime and Safety: 2013 report, by the Bureau of Justice
Statistics and National Center for Education Statistics Institute of
Education Sciences. The majority of bullying still takes place at school
and 1-in-3 U.S. students say they have been bullied at school, according
Furthermore, as indicated On the American SPCC's website, it was
reported in the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance 2013 report,
that, on average across 39 states surveyed, 7.2 percent of students
admitted to not going to school due to personal safety concerns. Many
dread the physical and verbal aggression of their peers and many more
attend school in a chronic state of, anxiety and depression. It was
further reported on the American SPCC website that 70.6 percent of young
people say they have seen bullying in their schools. In addition,
according to findings from the United States Department of Justice,
160,000 kids per day do not attend school for fear of being bullied.
Bullying can result in reluctance to go to school, while truancy, head-
aches and stomach pains, reduced appetite, shame, anxiety, irritability,
aggression and depression are also frequent effects, as stated on the
American SPCC website. Without question, there must be a continued,
coordinated, holistic emphasis on preventing, identifying and stopping
bullying behavior to prevent future tragedies. Comprehensive bullying
prevention will better protect children and ensure every student can
learn in an environment that is safe and secure from bullying and any
form of harassing or threatening behavior.
While the "Dignity for All Students Act" was signed into law in 2010 to
establish and streamline the protocol schools must follow when it comes
to bullying and harassment, parental notification provisions must be
strengthened. "Jacobe's Law" would require schools to make a reasonable
and good faith effort to notify a parent or guardian of a child who
reports to school officials that they fear they are a target of bullies
or situations where school officials suspect bullying is taking place,
and potentially avert future tragedies.
06/19/17 S.1355B     PASSED SENATE
06/19/17 S.1355B     DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
06/19/17 S.1355B     REFERRED TO EDUCATION
01/03/18 S.1355B     DIED IN ASSEMBLY
01/03/18 S.1355B     RETURNED TO SENATE
01/03/18 S.1355B     REFERRED TO EDUCATION
02/28/18 S.1355B     COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
02/28/18 S.1355B     ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.534
02/28/18 S.1355B    PASSED SENATE
02/28/18 S.1355B    DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
S9074 - Bill Text download pdf
AN ACT to amend the education law, in  relation  to  enacting  "Jacobe's
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Jacobe's law".
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 15-a to read
§ 15-A. REPORTING BY SCHOOL EMPLOYEES. 1. SCHOOL EMPLOYEES, AS DEFINED
IN SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS SECTION, SHALL INVESTIGATE  AND  VERIFY,  IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE, THAT A REPORTED INCIDENT
OF HARASSMENT, BULLYING OR DISCRIMINATION HAS OCCURRED.
2. UPON A VERIFIED INCIDENT OF HARASSMENT, BULLYING OR DISCRIMINATION,
A  LICENSED OR CERTIFIED SCHOOL COUNSELOR, SOCIAL WORKER OR PSYCHOLOGIST
SHALL DISCUSS WITH EACH STUDENT INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT WHETHER  HE  OR
SHE  HAS ANY HEALTH, SAFETY OR PRIVACY CONCERNS WITH THE SCHOOL EMPLOYEE
MAKING A REASONABLE AND GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO CONTACT THEIR PARENT OR ANY
PERSON IN PARENTAL RELATION. ANY DISCUSSIONS SHALL BE IMMEDIATELY  DOCU-
MENTED BY SUCH SCHOOL COUNSELOR, SOCIAL WORKER OR PSYCHOLOGIST.
3.  IF A STUDENT DOES NOT EXPRESS A HEALTH, SAFETY OR PRIVACY CONCERN,
THE SCHOOL EMPLOYEE SHALL MAKE A REASONABLE AND  GOOD  FAITH  EFFORT  TO
CONTACT  THE  PARENT  OR  PERSON  IN  PARENTAL  RELATION OF THE STUDENTS
INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT BY TELEPHONE, EMAIL, MAIL  OR  OTHER  MEANS  TO
DISCUSS THE INCIDENT AND WAYS TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS THE SITUATION. IF A
STUDENT  DOES  EXPRESS  A HEALTH, SAFETY OR PRIVACY CONCERN, SUCH SCHOOL
COUNSELOR, SOCIAL WORKER OR PSYCHOLOGIST SHALL  DETERMINE,  USING  THEIR
PROFESSIONAL  JUDGEMENT,  IF  CONTACTING A STUDENT'S PARENT OR PERSON IN
PARENTAL RELATION WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE STUDENT.
4. AS USED IN THIS SECTION "SCHOOL EMPLOYEE" SHALL MEAN THE PRINCIPAL,
SUPERINTENDENT OR THE PRINCIPAL'S OR SUPERINTENDENT'S  DESIGNEE  WHO  IS
CHARGED  WITH  RECEIVING  REPORTS  OF HARASSMENT, BULLYING AND DISCRIMI-
NATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH A  OF  SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF  SECTION
LBD03008-18-8
S. 9074                             2
§ 3. Section 16 of the education law, as amended by chapter 102 of the
§ 16. Protection of people who report harassment, bullying or discrim-
ination.  Any  person  having reasonable cause to suspect that a student
has been subjected to harassment,  bullying  or  discrimination,  by  an
employee  or  student,  on  school grounds or at a school function, who,
acting reasonably and in good faith, reports such information to  school
officials,  to  the commissioner or to law enforcement authorities, acts
in compliance with paragraph e or i of subdivision one of section  thir-
teen  of  this  article  OR  WITH  SECTION FIFTEEN-A OF THIS ARTICLE, or
otherwise initiates, testifies, participates or assists in any formal or
informal proceedings under this article, shall have  immunity  from  any
civil  liability  that  may arise from the making of such report or from
initiating, testifying, participating or assisting  in  such  formal  or
informal  proceedings,  and  no  school district or employee shall take,
request or cause a retaliatory  action  against  any  such  person  who,
acting  reasonably  and  in  good  faith,  either makes such a report or
initiates, testifies, participates or assists in such formal or informal
S9074A (ACTIVE) - Details
S9074A (ACTIVE) - Summary
S9074A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo
BILL NUMBER: S9074A
An act to amend the education law, in relation to enacting "Jacobe's
06/19/17 S.1355B PASSED SENATE
06/19/17 S.1355B DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
06/19/17 S.1355B REFERRED TO EDUCATION
01/03/18 S.1355B DIED IN ASSEMBLY
01/03/18 S.1355B RETURNED TO SENATE
01/03/18 S.1355B REFERRED TO EDUCATION
02/28/18 S.1355B COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
02/28/18 S.1355B ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL. 534
02/28/18 S.1355B PASSED SENATE
02/28/18 S.1355B DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
S9074A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf
9074--A
AN  ACT  to  amend  the education law, in relation to enacting "Jacobe's
IN  SUBDIVISION  FOUR  OF THIS SECTION, SHALL INVESTIGATE AND VERIFY, IN
A LICENSED OR CERTIFIED SCHOOL COUNSELOR, SCHOOL SOCIAL  WORKER,  SCHOOL
PSYCHOLOGIST,  SCHOOL  NURSE,  PRINCIPAL  OR  ASSISTANT  PRINCIPAL SHALL
DISCUSS WITH EACH STUDENT INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT WHETHER HE OR SHE HAS
ANY HEALTH, SAFETY OR PRIVACY CONCERNS WITH THE SCHOOL EMPLOYEE MAKING A
REASONABLE AND GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO CONTACT THEIR PARENT  OR  PERSON  IN
PARENTAL  RELATION.  ANY  DISCUSSIONS SHALL BE IMMEDIATELY DOCUMENTED BY
SUCH SCHOOL COUNSELOR, SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, SCHOOL
NURSE, PRINCIPAL OR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL.
3. IF A STUDENT DOES NOT EXPRESS A HEALTH, SAFETY OR PRIVACY  CONCERN,
THE  SCHOOL  EMPLOYEE  SHALL  MAKE A REASONABLE AND GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO
CONTACT THE PARENT OR  PERSON  IN  PARENTAL  RELATION  OF  THE  STUDENTS
INVOLVED  IN  THE  INCIDENT  BY TELEPHONE, EMAIL, MAIL OR OTHER MEANS TO
STUDENT DOES EXPRESS A HEALTH, SAFETY OR PRIVACY  CONCERN,  SUCH  SCHOOL
COUNSELOR,  SCHOOL  SOCIAL  WORKER,  SCHOOL  PSYCHOLOGIST, SCHOOL NURSE,
PRINCIPAL OR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL SHALL DETERMINE,  USING  THEIR  PROFES-
SIONAL JUDGEMENT, IF CONTACTING A STUDENT'S PARENT OR PERSON IN PARENTAL
RELATION WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE STUDENT.
LBD03008-20-8
S. 9074--A                          2
SUPERINTENDENT  OR  THE  PRINCIPAL'S OR SUPERINTENDENT'S DESIGNEE WHO IS
CHARGED WITH RECEIVING REPORTS OF  HARASSMENT,  BULLYING  AND  DISCRIMI-
NATION  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  PARAGRAPH  A OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION