A 2623: Creates a transportation subsidy to increase access to water safety instruction.
The state of New York is introducing a new law to increase access to water safety instruction for students. The law aims to provide a transportation subsidy to eligible public schools to fund transportation for students to attend a qualified private facility offering water safety instruction. To be eligible, students must attend a public school within a certain radius of a qualified facility, and the number of facilities available within that radius is limited. The law allows students in grades kindergarten through twelve to opt into the transportation subsidy by displaying proof of enrollment in an eligible instruction program. The Department of Education will promulgate regulations to determine how the subsidy will be funded, distributed, and used. The law will take effect on the 90th day after it becomes a law, and any necessary rules or regulations will be implemented immediately.
| Jan. 07, 2026 | referred to education |
| Jan. 21, 2025 | referred to education |
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2623 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 21, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. OTIS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to creating a transporta- tion subsidy to increase access to water safety instruction The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3641-c 2 to read as follows: 3 § 3641-c. After school transportation subsidy for private instruction 4 in water safety. 1. The department shall make available, and eligible 5 public schools in the state shall provide, an optional subsidy to fund 6 transportation for students to attend a qualified swimming and water 7 safety instruction course at a qualified private facility. The quali- 8 fications of such course and facility shall be defined by the commis- 9 sioner, in consultation with the department of health, in regulations. 10 2. Students attending a public school within the state shall be eligi- 11 ble to enroll into the transportation subsidy provided that: 12 (a) within a city of one million or more, there are no more than ten 13 qualified facilities providing a qualified course within a radius of 14 two-and-one-half miles of such public school; or 15 (b) outside a city of one million or more, there are no more than ten 16 qualified facilities providing a qualified course within a radius of 17 five miles of such public school. 18 3. All students in grades kindergarten through twelve at an eligible 19 public school may opt into the transportation subsidy upon displaying 20 proof of such student's enrollment in an eligible instruction program at 21 an eligible facility. 22 4. The department shall promulgate regulations to determine: 23 (a) which forms of transportation may be funded by such subsidy on a 24 local basis, including but not limited to school buses or public trans- 25 it; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD03199-01-5A. 2623 2 1 (b) on what basis separate transportation for a parent may be eligible 2 for the subsidy; and 3 (c) in what form subsidy allotments are to be distributed to enrolled 4 students. 5 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 6 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or 7 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of 8 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed 9 on or before such effective date.