State Senator Shelley B. Mayer announced that seven of her bills have been signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul. These new laws will strengthen New York’s commitment to making voting in school board and budget elections more accessible and provide school districts with the tools they need to meet the challenges facing students, families, and educators. Among the seven bills signed are:
Safeguarding Access to Absentee Voting: S2589 (Mayer) / A5301 (Woerner), updates requirements for absentee ballot applications for school elections, removing barriers for voters exercising their right to vote remotely for school district elections.
Protecting Voter Turnout During a Disaster: S3735 (Mayer) / A5302 (Woerner), allows the Commissioner of Education to schedule an extra day of voting in school board or budget elections if a disaster has substantially impacted participation. This will align Education Law with Election Law, ensuring that more New Yorkers have the opportunity to make their voices heard in school elections.
Aligning Small City School District Debt: S3367 (Mayer) /A2318 (McDonald), aligns the way debt is calculated for small city school districts with other fiscally independent school districts. This bill follows a successful constitution amendment in 2023, which aligned the debt limit for small city school districts with other fiscally independent districts.
Helping Districts Pay for CVA Claims: S.6372 (Mayer) / A.7631 (Lunsford), allows districts to bond for up to 30 years, to pay for a settlement or judgment relating from the Child Victims Act. This bill will ensure that survivors can continue to pursue justice under the CVA, while giving districts additional tools to pay claims without adversely impacting current students.
Senator Shelley B. Mayer said, “As Chair of the Senate Education Committee, I am dedicated to ensuring every child in New York has access to a high-quality education – and that work begins with protecting New Yorkers’ ability to fully participate in school board elections and school budget votes. These elections shape decisions that affect students’ daily lives, from the classroom to extracurricular opportunities. I am grateful to Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for her shared commitment to strengthening our public schools, and to Governor Kathy Hochul for signing these important bills into law.”
