Senate Education Committee advances five education bills; measures sent to floor, finance and disabilities panels

State Sen. Shelley Mayer, chair of the Senate Education Committee, called the committee to order March 4, 2025, and the panel advanced five bills relating to education policy and school safety.

The measures moved by voice vote with minimal debate and were sent either to the Senate floor, the finance committee or the disabilities committee for further consideration.

Votes at a glance: S.523 (Mayer) — An act to amend the Education Law in relation to reimbursement for studies for districts subject to reorganization. Moved by Sen. Dabo; seconded by Sen. Tadisco. Committee recorded the motion as approved and the measure was referred to the finance committee.

S.2590 (Mayer) — An act to amend the Education Law in relation to requiring on-site cardiac automated external defibrillators for nonpublic schools. Moved by Sen. Steck; seconded by Sen. White. The committee approved the measure and it was sent to the Senate floor.

S.3071 (Sanders) — An act to amend the Education Law in relation to establishing a task force on safety in school transportation and to provide for repeal upon expiration. Committee members discussed adding a minority designee to the proposed 18-member task force; the sponsor was asked to consider a modification. Sen. Sanders moved the bill; it was seconded and approved by voice vote. The transcript does not specify the committee referral for this measure.

S.3084 (Hellmaiden) — An act to amend the Education Law in relation to requiring a service center for independent living to be located in Ontario County. Moved and seconded in committee; the measure was approved and referred to the disabilities committee.

S.3334 (Liu) — An act to amend the Education Law to require instruction in Asian American history and civic impact in public elementary and high schools, to direct the State Education Department to develop materials, and to require a study of implementation. The committee approved the measure and referred it to the finance committee.

Procedural notes and context: Most actions were resolved by voice vote with the committee registering “Aye” and proceeding without recorded roll-call tallies in the transcript. For S.3071 members specifically raised the minority-appointee question; State Sen. White and others discussed asking the sponsor to modify the bill to include a minority designee for the task force. The transcript records Sen. Felder arriving late to the meeting near the end.

No bills were described in the transcript as being tabled, failed or postponed; specific numerical vote tallies were not recorded in the available transcript.