Teacher tenure areas and seniority rights of certified employees are governed by state law and regulation. A recent Commissioner of Education decision provides a good reminder of the obligation to follow these requirements....more
As Buffalo was dealt a deluge of snow, Albany found a flurry of legislation being signed into law by Governor Hochul. One measure, while seemingly benign, addresses a change to New York’s Freedom of Information Law. It is a...more
On December 29, 2022, over 18 months after cannabis became legal to sell in New York State, the first retail dispensary is scheduled to open. This begs the question – should it have taken this long?...more
New York employers must re-evaluate their obligations to nursing mothers in the workplace under an amendment to the state Labor Law that expands accommodations to nursing mothers....more
On November 22, 2022, Governor Hochul signed into law Bill S973, which amends the Education Law by requiring private schools to abide by the mandates of the Concussion Management and Awareness Act (“CMAA”) of 2011 – New...more
The recent ransomware attack targeting Los Angeles Unified School District is another frightening reminder school districts are especially vulnerable to hackers and must continuously assess all of the individual systems...more
Seeking to hone in on requirements impacting nonpublic schools, today, the New York State Board of Regents approved amendments to the regulations mandating nonpublic schools provide “substantially equivalent” education to...more
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the U.S. Department of Education released for public comment on June 23, 2022 proposed changes to the Title IX regulations applicable to elementary and secondary schools, as...more
7/11/2022
/ Department of Education ,
Federal Register ,
Hostile Environment ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Public Comment ,
Public Schools ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Sexual Violence Policies ,
Title IX ,
Training
The Office of Cannabis Management in New York state has provided further guidance on how adult-use conditional cultivators (AUCCs) must measure and report the square footage of their flowering canopy to remain compliant with...more
In its Kennedy v. Bremerton School District decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has made a bold move that seems to disregard established precedent and leaves school district administrators and boards puzzled as to how best to...more
In September of 2021, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the allocation of $59 million to fund the Clean Green Schools Initiative. The program aims to advance clean energy efficiency solutions and clean energy to improve indoor air...more
As part of the New York State enacted budget for the 2023 Fiscal Year, the Legislature and Governor provided bonuses for certain healthcare and mental hygiene workers, pursuant to New York Social Services Law Section 367-w....more
Governor Kathy Hochul recently signed Bill S7619 that will extend for another year the provision under New York Education Law that permits voters to use the risk of contracting COVID-19 as the basis for obtaining absentee...more
School districts must consider the sanctity and privacy of data they maintain, as a recent decision underscores from the New York State Education Department’s Office of the Chief Privacy Officer. This alert explains the...more
2/11/2022
/ Cybersecurity ,
Data Privacy ,
Data Protection ,
Data Security ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Educational Institutions ,
FERPA ,
New York ,
Personally Identifiable Information ,
Public Schools ,
State and Local Government
UPDATED January 27, 2022 We have learned from the New York State Attorney General’s office that the decision regarding whether or not the current stay will remain in place pending the decision on the appeal of the Nassau...more
George Orwell would be proud. The ‘Big NYS Legislature and Governor’ just put the brakes on Big Brother, kinda.
On November 8, 2021, Governor Kathy Hochul signed Chapter 583, creating Civil Rights law § 52-c. The new...more
This week, Governor Hochul signed legislation aimed at improving transparency of government at all levels. The amendment to the Open Meetings Law mandates, as much as practicable, to have any resolutions, laws, rules,...more
As many high school students are walking the stage for graduation, the Supreme Court is readying for summer, issuing a flurry of decisions. One, B.L. v. Mahanoy Area School District (594 U.S. _____ (2021)) is a big win for...more
On June 7, a law was enacted continuing the changes made to the tenure and the APPR performance review process for teachers and principals enacted during the early stages of COVID-19 pandemic period. School districts should...more
On Monday, February 22, 2021, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.95 requiring the following:
Teachers employed in P-12 (public and non-public) schools must report that they have received a COVID-19 vaccination to...more
A new law signed on Labor Day -- the day before many schools returned students for the first time since March -- imposes new requirements on municipalities across the state in case of a health emergency declared by the...more
The New York Child Victims Act created a special one-year window during which adult survivors of child sexual abuse would be permitted to file civil actions related to their abuse. The Act was passed in response to repeated...more
On Aug. 3, 2020, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a one-year extension of the deadline for filing claims under the Child Victims Act, the law that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for adult survivors of child sexual...more
Does this situation sound familiar to you?
You are a small business with a few employees. You know of other similar businesses that pay off the books and have never run into trouble. You are contemplating doing the same. ...more
Just prior to the sweltering hot weekend, Governor Cuomo signed into law the Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act, or SHIELD Act. Taking effect on March 22, 2020, the law imposes new obligations on entities to...more