S 8008: Encourages school districts to give opportunities to students by giving priority to outside groups which encourage community for students to use school facilities.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8008 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE May 15, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. COONEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to encouraging school districts to prioritize civic organizations which encourage community for students in allowing outside groups to use school facilities The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 414 of the education law is amended by adding a new 2 subdivision 3 to read as follows: 3 3. Local boards which grant access to school facilities by external 4 organizations shall give priority in the use of such facilities to any 5 youth group listed in title 36 of the United States code as a patriotic 6 society, including but not limited to Scouting America, formerly known 7 as Boy Scouts of America, and its affiliated New York groups and coun- 8 cils, and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America and its affil- 9 iated New York groups and councils, in order to facilitate access for 10 students to participate in activities provided by these groups at times 11 outside of the school day for the purpose of encouraging civic educa- 12 tion. 13 § 2. Section 2503 of the education law is amended by adding a new 14 subdivision 8-a to read as follows: 15 8-a. Local boards which grant access to school facilities by external 16 organizations shall give priority in the use of such facilities to any 17 youth group listed in title 36 of the United States code as a patriotic 18 society, including but not limited to Scouting America, formerly known 19 as Boy Scouts of America, and its affiliated New York groups and coun- 20 cils, and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America and its affil- 21 iated New York groups and councils, in order to facilitate access for 22 students to participate in activities provided by these groups at times 23 outside of the school day for the purpose of encouraging civic educa- 24 tion. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD11878-01-5 
 S. 8008 2 1 § 3. Section 2554 of the education law is amended by adding a new 2 subdivision 6-a to read as follows: 3 6-a. Local boards which grant access to school facilities by external 4 organizations shall give priority in the use of such facilities to any 5 youth group listed in title 36 of the United States code as a patriotic 6 society, including but not limited to Scouting America, formerly known 7 as Boy Scouts of America, and its affiliated New York groups and coun- 8 cils, and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America and its affil- 9 iated New York groups and councils, in order to facilitate access for 10 students to participate in activities provided by these groups at times 11 outside of the school day for the purpose of encouraging civic educa- 12 tion. 13 § 4. Paragraph (a-1) of subdivision 3 of section 2853 of the education 14 law is amended by adding a new subparagraph (iii) to read as follows: 15 (iii) Charter schools which grant access to school facilities by 16 external organizations shall give priority in the use of such facilities 17 to any youth group listed in title 36 of the United States code as a 18 patriotic society, including but not limited to Scouting America, 19 formerly known as Boy Scouts of America, and its affiliated New York 20 groups and councils, and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America 21 and its affiliated New York groups and councils, in order to facilitate 22 access for students to participate in activities provided by these 23 groups at times outside of the school day for the purpose of encouraging 24 civic education. 25 § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.