A 1564: Requires comprehensive training at least one time per year for school bus drivers and school bus attendants in the discouragement, prevention and detection of harassment, bullying and discrimination.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1564 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY January 10, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL, SANTABARBARA, RAGA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law and the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring comprehensive training for school bus drivers and school bus attendants in the discouragement, prevention and detection of harassment, bullying and discrimination The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 3650 of the education law is amended by adding a 2 new subdivision 3 to read as follows: 3 3. The commissioner shall develop a uniform and comprehensive training 4 program for school bus drivers transporting students to and from school 5 by school bus in the discouragement, prevention, and detection of 6 harassment, bullying and discrimination as defined under article two of 7 this chapter. Such training shall include, but not be limited to, 8 instruction concerning the effects of harassment, bullying and discrimi- 9 nation and the appropriate response when a school bus driver encounters 10 such situation. The training and instruction required by this subdivi- 11 sion may be included with the training and instruction required pursuant 12 to paragraph a of subdivision one and subdivision two of this section 13 and shall be provided at least once per year or more frequently as 14 determined by the commissioner in consultation with the state comprehen- 15 sive school bus driver safety training council. 16 § 2. Section 1229-d of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by 17 adding a new subdivision 5 to read as follows: 18 (5) The commissioner of education shall promulgate rules and regu- 19 lations requiring that every school bus attendant serving pupils with a 20 disabling condition receive training and instruction relating to the 21 discouragement, prevention, and detection of harassment, bullying and 22 discrimination as defined under article two of the education law. Such EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD04275-01-5 
 A. 1564 2 1 training shall include, but not be limited to, instruction concerning 2 the effects of harassment, bullying and discrimination and the appropri- 3 ate response when a school bus attendant encounters such situation. The 4 training and instruction required by this subdivision may be included 5 with the training and instruction required pursuant to this section and 6 shall be provided at least once per year or more frequently as deter- 7 mined by the commissioner of education, in consultation with the state 8 comprehensive school bus driver safety training council. 9 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.