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S 365

Allows brewery supply stores to sell New York state labelled beer for off-premises consumption

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Rob Rolison and 1 co-sponsor

Mandates DESE equip self-contained/sub-separate special education classrooms with video cameras with audio and place audio recorders in restrooms, plus notice, access, and retention rules.

ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
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Bill Summary · S 365

Bill Summary — S.365 (Senate No. 365)

Title in text: "An Act relative to video cameras required in certain special education classrooms"
(Note: the file header and bill text provided concern placement of video/audio equipment in special education classrooms. Some metadata supplied with the request (an initial title about brewery supply stores and mixed committee actions) appears inconsistent with the bill text.)

Purpose / Intent

Require Commonwealth education authorities to equip self‑contained and sub‑separate special education classrooms with video cameras (with audio) and to place audio recording devices in restrooms associated with those classrooms, with rules for operation, notice, retention, and access. The stated aim is protection and oversight of students and staff in special education settings.

Key provisions

  • Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) responsibilities:
    • Ensure every public school receives and uses at least one video camera with audio capability for each self‑contained or sub‑separate classroom.
    • Ensure every public school receives and uses an audio recording device in the restroom of each self‑contained classroom.
  • Equipment capabilities and placement:
    • Classroom cameras must monitor all areas of the self‑contained or sub‑separate classroom (including attached rooms used for other purposes) and record audio in those areas.
    • Cameras must not monitor restrooms or areas where students change clothes.
    • Audio devices are to be placed in restrooms for the specified classrooms; restroom doors must display a notice: "Pursuant to state law, this restroom is equipped with an audio recording device for the protection of the students."
  • Custody and administration:
    • The school principal (or a principal‑designated administrator) is the custodian of devices and all recordings and controls access.
    • Prior to initial placement, written notice must be provided to (1) parents/legal guardians of students assigned to the classroom and (2) school employees assigned to those classrooms.
  • Operation and interruptions:
    • Schools must operate and maintain the equipment while students are present; recordings need not occur when students are not present.
    • If recordings stop for any reason, the custodian must submit a written explanation to the principal and the county board; the explanation must be retained by the principal.
  • Retention:
    • Recordings must be retained for at least one year (365 days); if a request to review a recording is made or an investigation arises, retention continues until investigations and any resulting administrative or legal proceedings (including appeals) are complete.
  • Definitions:
    • “Incident” is broadly defined to include suspected bullying, abuse, harm, neglect of a child, or harm to an employee by a school employee/contractor/visitor or another student.
    • “Self‑contained”/“sub‑separate” classrooms are classrooms where the majority of regularly attending students receive special education, as further defined by state department policy.
    • “Special education” aligns with 34 CFR 300.

Who is affected

  • Public K–12 schools with self‑contained or sub‑separate special education classrooms.
  • Students assigned to those classrooms and their parents/guardians.
  • Teachers, aides, and other school employees working in those classrooms.
  • School administrators responsible for device management and recordkeeping.
  • DESE (implementation, funding, procurement, policy).

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Operational and fiscal: DESE/schools must fund, install, maintain equipment, data storage, and administrative processes (training, access controls, incident reporting).
  • Privacy and legal: placement of audio devices in restrooms and classroom audio recording raise privacy and constitutional/legal considerations; compliance with state privacy laws, special education law (IDEA), and other statutes will be necessary. (The bill text includes some limitations but is partly truncated in the provided copy.)
  • Use in investigations: recordings become part of investigative and disciplinary processes and may be retained as evidence; retention/ access rules are specified.
  • Notice/transparency: required parent/employee notice and restroom signage aim to increase transparency.

Procedural status (as provided)

  • Filed 01/17/2025 (Senate Docket No. 2455 / Senate No. 365).
  • Introduced / read twice in Senate; passed Senate 03/11/2025; delivered to Assembly and referred to Economic Development (record includes multiple committee referrals and scheduled hearings; metadata appears inconsistent and duplicate entries are present).
  • Sponsors listed in materials include Senator Barry R. Finegold (by request) and several co‑petitioners.

Notes / uncertainties

  • The provided bill text is truncated in places; some procedural metadata conflicts with the bill text (e.g., an initial unrelated title and mixed committee listings). Before relying on this summary for legal, compliance, or policy decisions, consult the official bill text as enrolled or the state legislative information system for the final, complete language and current status.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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