Bill Text: NY A05318 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Amended
Bill Title: Updates provisions relating to dignity for all students including establishing the student suicide prevention act which includes curriculum and teacher training requirements designed to prevent student suicide with a focus on LGBTQ students; makes an appropriation therefor.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 25-6)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-23 - enacting clause stricken [A05318 Detail]
Download: New_York-2023-A05318-Amended.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5318--A 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY March 7, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. O'DONNELL, GLICK, BRONSON, SIMONE, BENEDETTO, WOERNER, BURDICK, PAULIN, FAHY, EPSTEIN, THIELE, KELLES, TAGUE, HEVE- SI, SIMON, WALSH -- read once and referred to the Committee on Educa- tion -- recommitted to the Committee on Education in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to updating provisions relating to dignity for all students; and making an appropriation therefor The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 10 of the education law, as added by chapter 482 2 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows: 3 § 10. Legislative intent. The legislature finds that students' ability 4 to learn and to meet high academic standards, and a school's ability to 5 educate its students, are compromised by incidents of discrimination or 6 harassment including bullying, taunting or intimidation. It is hereby 7 declared to be the policy of the state to afford all students in public 8 schools an environment free of discrimination and harassment, whether in 9 the school building or on the internet. The purpose of this article is 10 to foster civility in public schools and to prevent and prohibit conduct 11 which is inconsistent with a school's educational mission. 12 § 2. Paragraphs e and l of subdivision 1 of section 13 of the educa- 13 tion law, as added by chapter 102 of the laws of 2012, are amended and a 14 new paragraph m is added to read as follows: 15 e. require the school, when an investigation reveals any such verified 16 harassment, bullying or discrimination, to take prompt actions reason- 17 ably calculated to end the harassment, bullying or discrimination, elim- 18 inate any hostile environment, create a more positive school culture and 19 climate, prevent recurrence of the behavior, and ensure the safety of 20 the student or students against whom such harassment, bullying or EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD09917-03-4A. 5318--A 2 1 discrimination was directed. Such actions shall be consistent with the 2 guidelines created pursuant to subdivision four of this section and 3 shall take into consideration whether notification of persons in 4 parental relation to the student who is the subject of such harassment 5 is in the best interest of the student; 6 l. maintain current versions of the school district's policies created 7 pursuant to this section on the school district's internet website, if 8 one exists; and 9 m. include safe, responsible use of the internet and electronic commu- 10 nications; and 11 § 3. Subdivision 5 of section 14 of the education law, as amended by 12 chapter 90 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows: 13 5. [The commissioner shall prescribe] Prescribe regulations that 14 school professionals applying on or after December thirty-first, two 15 thousand thirteen for a certificate or license, including but not limit- 16 ed to a certificate or license valid for service as a classroom teacher, 17 school counselor, school psychologist, school social worker, school 18 administrator or supervisor or superintendent of schools shall, in addi- 19 tion to all other certification or licensing requirements, have 20 completed training on the social patterns of harassment, bullying and 21 discrimination, as defined in section eleven of this article, including 22 but not limited to those acts based on a person's actual or perceived 23 race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious 24 practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex, the identifica- 25 tion and mitigation of harassment, bullying and discrimination, and 26 strategies for effectively addressing problems of exclusion, bias and 27 aggression in educational settings. 28 § 4. Section 15 of the education law, as amended by chapter 102 of the 29 laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows: 30 § 15. Reporting by commissioner and use of reports. 1. The commis- 31 sioner shall create a procedure under which material incidents of 32 harassment, bullying and discrimination on school grounds or at a school 33 function are reported to the department at least on an annual basis. 34 Such procedure shall provide that such reports shall, wherever possible, 35 also delineate the specific nature of such incidents of harassment, 36 bullying and discrimination, provided that the commissioner may comply 37 with the requirements of this section through use of the existing 38 uniform violent incident reporting system. In addition, the department 39 may conduct research or undertake studies to determine compliance 40 throughout the state with the provisions of this article. 41 2. The commissioner shall use such reports and data to identify 42 schools and districts that are failing to meet the standards and objec- 43 tives of this article. The commissioner shall promulgate policies and 44 procedures for improving conditions at these schools to ensure proper 45 training, support, and compliance with all requirements. 46 3. The commissioner shall deliver the report referenced in subdivision 47 one of this section to the legislature every two years. 48 § 5. The education law is amended by adding a new article 2-A to read 49 as follows: 50 ARTICLE 2-A 51 STUDENT SUICIDE PREVENTION 52 Section 20. Legislative intent. 53 21. Definitions. 54 22. Policies, procedures, and guidelines. 55 23. Application. 56 24. Severability and construction.A. 5318--A 3 1 § 20. Legislative intent. The legislature finds and declares the 2 following: 3 1. According to data from the federal centers for disease control and 4 prevention as reported in the year two thousand sixteen, suicide is the 5 second leading cause of death for youth and young adults ten to twenty- 6 four years of age, inclusive, in both the United States and in New York 7 state. 8 2. As children and teens spend a significant amount of their young 9 lives in school, the personnel who interact with them on a daily basis 10 are essential gatekeepers for recognizing warning signs of suicide and 11 making the appropriate referrals for help. 12 3. In a national survey conducted by the Jason Foundation, a teacher 13 was identified as the number one person to whom a student would turn to 14 help a friend who might be suicidal. It is imperative that when a young 15 person comes to a teacher for help, such teacher has the knowledge, 16 tools, and resources to respond correctly. 17 4. In the year two thousand eighteen, the federal centers for disease 18 control and prevention found in its Youth Risk Behavior Survey that 19 lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth are almost four times more likely to 20 seriously consider attempting suicide, have made a suicide plan, or have 21 attempted suicide, than their heterosexual peers. 22 5. There are national hotlines available to help adults and youth, 23 including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning 24 (LGBTQ) youth, who are experiencing suicidal ideation or who are worried 25 about a family member or peer who may be at risk, including the National 26 Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, the Trevor Project 27 Lifeline, and TrevorChat. 28 6. According to the Family Acceptance Project, research has found 29 that, for an LGBTQ youth, having at least one supportive adult can 30 reduce the youth's risk of suicide. 31 7. New York state schools face the serious issues of students at high 32 risk of suicide and death by suicide in the school communities. School 33 personnel must be supported by clear policies and procedures, which 34 serve as an easily-accessible roadmap, eliminate confusion over educator 35 roles and the referral process, and equip educators with the tools to 36 respond safely when a suicide does occur in the school community. 37 § 21. Definitions. For the purposes of this article, the following 38 terms shall have the following meanings: 39 1. "Crisis situation" means a situation where a teacher or other local 40 educational agency employee believes a student or other individual is in 41 imminent danger of a suicide attempt. 42 2. "LGBTQ" means individuals who identify, with regards to gender, as 43 being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. 44 3. "Local educational agency" means a school district, board of coop- 45 erative educational services, school, or the education department. 46 4. "Suicide intervention" means specific actions schools can take in 47 response to suicidal behavior by a student, including, but not limited 48 to: 49 a. student supervision; 50 b. notification of parents or guardians; 51 c. crisis situation response protocols; 52 d. when and how to request an immediate mental health assessment or 53 emergency services; and 54 e. school re-entry procedures following a student mental health 55 crisis.A. 5318--A 4 1 5. "Suicide postvention" means planned support and interventions 2 schools can implement after a suicide attempt or suicide death of a 3 member of the school community that are designed to: 4 a. reduce the risk of the spread of suicidal thoughts or intentions; 5 b. provide support for affected students and school-based personnel; 6 c. address the social stigma associated with suicide; and 7 d. disseminate factual information about suicide and its prevention. 8 6. "Suicide prevention" means specific actions schools can take to 9 recognize and reduce suicidal behavior, including, but not limited to: 10 a. identifying risks and protective factors for suicide and suicide 11 warning signs; 12 b. establishing a process by which students are referred to a mental 13 and behavioral health provider for help; 14 c. making available school-based and community-based mental health 15 supports; 16 d. providing the location of available online and community suicide 17 prevention resources, including local crisis centers and hotlines; 18 e. adopting policies and protocols regarding suicide prevention, 19 intervention, and postvention, school safety, and response to crisis 20 situations; 21 f. training for school personnel who interact directly with students 22 in recognizing suicide risks and warning signs and how to refer students 23 for further assessment and evaluation; and 24 g. instruction to students in problem-solving and coping skills to 25 promote students' mental, emotional, and social health and well-being, 26 and instruction in recognizing and appropriately responding to signs of 27 suicidal intent in others. 28 § 22. Policies, procedures, and guidelines. 1. The governing board or 29 body of every local educational agency that serves students in grades 30 seven to twelve, inclusive, shall, before the first day of August, two 31 thousand twenty-four, adopt policies, procedures, and guidelines on 32 student suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention for students 33 in such grades. Such policies, procedures, and guidelines shall be 34 developed in consultation with school and community stakeholders, 35 school-employed mental health professionals, and suicide prevention 36 experts, and shall include, but not be limited to: 37 a. methods to increase awareness of the relationship between suicide 38 and suicide risk factors, including, but not limited to: 39 i. mental health and substance use conditions; 40 ii. childhood abuse, neglect, or trauma; 41 iii. prolonged stress, including individual experiences such as bully- 42 ing, harassment, family or relationship stress, or other stressful life 43 events, as well as collective stressors such as systemic bias and 44 discrimination; 45 iv. exposure to another person's suicide, or sensationalized or graph- 46 ic accounts of suicide; and 47 v. previous suicide attempts or history of suicide within a student's 48 family; 49 b. identification of training opportunities on recognizing suicide 50 risks, and referral procedures available to school employees; 51 c. availability of expertise from school employees who have been 52 trained in recognizing suicide risks, and referral procedures; 53 d. how school employees should respond to suspicion, concerns, or 54 warning signs of suicide in students; 55 e. how school employees should respond to a crisis situation where a 56 student is in imminent danger to himself or herself;A. 5318--A 5 1 f. policies and protocols for communication with parents, including 2 those that specify what to do if parental notification is not in the 3 best interest of the student; 4 g. counseling services available within the school for students and 5 their families that are related to suicide prevention; 6 h. availability of information concerning crisis situation inter- 7 vention, suicide prevention, and mental health services in the community 8 for students and their families and school employees; 9 i. identification and development of partnerships with community 10 organizations and agencies for referral of students to health, mental 11 health, substance use, and social support services, including develop- 12 ment of at least one memorandum of understanding between the local 13 education agency and such an organization or agency in the community or 14 region; 15 j. development of a culturally competent plan to assist survivors of 16 attempted suicide and to assist students and school employees in coping 17 with an attempted suicide or a suicide death within the school communi- 18 ty; and 19 k. development of any other related program or activity for students 20 or school employees. 21 2. The policies, procedures, and guidelines adopted pursuant to subdi- 22 vision one of this section shall specifically address the needs of high- 23 risk groups, including, but not limited to, the following: 24 a. youth who have lost a friend or family member to suicide; 25 b. youth with disabilities or with chronic health conditions, includ- 26 ing mental health and substance use conditions; 27 c. youth experiencing homelessness or in out-of-home settings, such as 28 foster care; and 29 d. LGBTQ youth. 30 3. The policies, procedures, and guidelines adopted pursuant to subdi- 31 vision one of this section shall be written to ensure that a school 32 employee acts only within the authorization and scope of such employee's 33 credential or license. Nothing in this section shall be construed as 34 authorizing or encouraging a school employee to diagnose or treat mental 35 health conditions unless such employee is specifically licensed and 36 employed to do so. 37 4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no 38 cause of action may be brought for any loss or damage caused by any act 39 or omission resulting from the implementation of the provisions of this 40 article, or resulting from any training, or lack of training, required 41 by this article. Nothing in this article shall be construed to impose 42 any specific duty of care. 43 5. To assist local educational agencies in developing policies for 44 student suicide prevention, the department shall develop and maintain 45 model policies, procedures, and guidelines in accordance with this 46 section to serve as a guide for local educational agencies. Such model 47 policies, procedures, and guidelines shall be posted within thirty days 48 of their completion on the department's internet website, along with 49 relevant resources and information to support schools in developing and 50 implementing the policies, procedures, and guidelines required under 51 subdivision one of this section. 52 6. The governing board or body of a local educational agency that 53 serves students in grades seven to twelve, inclusive, shall review, at 54 minimum every fifth year following the effective date of this article, 55 its policies, procedures, and guidelines on student suicide prevention 56 and, if necessary, update such policies, procedures, and guidelines.A. 5318--A 6 1 § 23. Application. The provisions of this article shall apply to all 2 private and public educational institutions in New York state. 3 § 24. Severability and construction. The provisions of this article 4 shall be severable, and if any court of competent jurisdiction declares 5 any phrase, clause, sentence or provision of this article to be invalid, 6 or its applicability to any government agency, person or circumstance is 7 declared invalid, the remainder of this article and its relevant appli- 8 cability shall not be affected. The provisions of this article shall be 9 liberally construed to give effect to the purposes thereof. 10 § 6. Section 801-a of the education law, as amended by section 102 of 11 the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows: 12 § 801-a. Instruction in civility, citizenship [and], character educa- 13 tion, digital citizenship, and media literacy. 14 1. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have 15 the following meanings: 16 a. "Tolerance", "respect for others", and "dignity" shall include 17 awareness and sensitivity to harassment, bullying, discrimination, and 18 civility in the relations of people of different races, weights, 19 national origins, ethnic groups, religions, religious practices, mental 20 or physical abilities, sexual orientations, genders, and sexes. 21 b. "Digital citizenship" shall mean a diverse set of skills related to 22 current technology and social media, including the norms of appropriate, 23 responsible, and healthy behavior and focuses on empowering learners to 24 use online resources, applications, and spaces to improve communities 25 and curate a positive and effective digital footprint. 26 c. "Media literacy" shall mean the ability to use media and to access, 27 analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication and 28 encompasses the foundational skills that lead to digital citizenship. 29 2. The regents shall ensure that the course of instruction in grades 30 kindergarten through twelve includes a component on civility, citizen- 31 ship, and character education. Such component shall instruct students on 32 the principles of honesty, tolerance, personal responsibility, and 33 respect for others, with an emphasis on discouraging acts of harassment, 34 bullying, discrimination, observance of laws and rules, courtesy, digni- 35 ty, and other traits which will enhance the quality of their experiences 36 in, and contributions to, the community. Such component shall include 37 instruction of safe, responsible use of the internet and electronic 38 communications. The regents shall determine how to incorporate such 39 component in existing curricula and the commissioner shall promulgate 40 any regulations needed to carry out such determination of the regents. 41 [For the purposes of this section, "tolerance," "respect for others" and42"dignity" shall include awareness and sensitivity to harassment, bully-43ing, discrimination and civility in the relations of people of different44races, weights, national origins, ethnic groups, religions, religious45practices, mental or physical abilities, sexual orientations, genders,46and sexes.] 47 3. The regents, in conjunction with the commissioner, shall ensure 48 that the course of instruction in grades kindergarten through twelve 49 includes a component on media literacy. Such component shall include 50 instruction of internet safety, civility, and digital citizenship with a 51 focus on the principles of safe, responsible use of the internet and 52 electronic communications. The boards of education and trustees of the 53 cities and school districts of the state shall require instruction to be 54 given in media literacy by the teachers employed in the schools therein. 55 If available, instruction in media literacy shall be provided by library 56 media specialists employed by the schools therein.A. 5318--A 7 1 4. The commissioner, in conjunction with the regents, shall incorpo- 2 rate existing state media literacy standards into the component 3 described in subdivision two of this section and create a clear and 4 coherent set of media literacy education standards, which shall include, 5 but not be limited to, the following skills, experiences, and competen- 6 cies: 7 a. reading experiences balanced between literature and informational 8 texts, which include both print and digital sources; 9 b. integration and evaluation of content and information presented in 10 diverse media and formats, including visual, quantitative, and oral; 11 c. use of technology and digital tools, including the internet, for 12 writing and drawing to increase learning and communication and to inter- 13 act and collaborate with others; 14 d. writing of informative and explanatory texts to examine and convey 15 complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effec- 16 tive selection, organization, and analysis of content, including multi- 17 media; 18 e. strategic use of digital media and visual displays to express 19 information and enhance understanding of presentations; 20 f. the ability to assess how point of view or purpose shapes the 21 content and style of a text, drawing on a wide range of global and 22 diverse texts; 23 g. gathering of relevant information from multiple sources and assess- 24 ing the credibility and accuracy of such sources, for the purpose of 25 integrating such information in writing without plagiarizing; 26 h. effectively communicating conclusions and taking informed action 27 based on such conclusions; 28 i. the ability to create, produce, respond, interpret, and connect 29 with artistic work and techniques; 30 j. managing information with a focus on the ability to access and use 31 information obtained from other people, community resources, and comput- 32 er networks and using technology to acquire, organize, and communicate 33 information by entering, modifying, retrieving, and storing data; 34 k. demonstration of digital citizenship by maintaining ethical deci- 35 sion making and behavior and avoid the spread of misinformation in the 36 exchange and use of information; 37 l. use of digital tools to communicate and work with others to build 38 knowledge, convey ideas, learn with others, create and revise collabora- 39 tive products, support individual learning, and contribute to the learn- 40 ing of others; 41 m. use of digital tools to create and revise simple, complex, and 42 multimedia digital artifacts; 43 n. identification of ways other people put their own information into 44 online spaces; 45 o. the ability to explain how actions in online spaces can have conse- 46 quences in other spaces and the connection between the persistence of 47 data on the internet, personal online identity, and personal privacy; 48 p. actively managing digital presence and digital footprint to reflect 49 an understanding of the permanence and potential consequences of actions 50 in online spaces; 51 q. designing and implementing strategies that support safety and secu- 52 rity of digital information, personal identity, property, and physical 53 and mental health when operating in the digital world; 54 r. identifying types of cyberbullying and developing strategies to 55 combat cyberbullying and harassment; andA. 5318--A 8 1 s. any additional media literacy standards outlined in state depart- 2 ment publications or in the codes, rules and regulations of the state of 3 New York, as deemed necessary. 4 5. The commissioner, in conjunction with the regents, shall update the 5 New York state professional teaching standards to incorporate media 6 literacy and educate library media specialists and teachers on the rele- 7 vant standards of media literacy so that library media specialists and 8 teachers can effectively incorporate such standards into their curric- 9 ulums. 10 6. The commissioner, in conjunction with the regents, shall annually 11 review the media literacy standards set forth in this section to ensure 12 such standards capture the full range of skills, experiences, and compe- 13 tencies that research indicates is necessary for media literacy, and 14 shall update such standards as necessary. 15 7. The media literacy standards set forth in this section shall serve 16 as an overview of the state's interdisciplinary approach to media liter- 17 acy education and shall emphasize the importance of media literacy for 18 civic readiness. 19 § 7. Subdivision 1 of section 2801 of the education law, as amended by 20 chapter 402 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows: 21 1. a. For purposes of this section, [school property] the following 22 terms shall have the following meanings: 23 (i) "School property" means: 24 (A) in or within any building, structure, athletic playing field, 25 playground, parking lot, or land contained within the real property 26 boundary line of a public elementary or secondary school; or 27 (B) in or on a school bus, as defined in section one hundred forty-two 28 of the vehicle and traffic law[; and a school function shall mean]. 29 (ii) "School function" means a school-sponsored or school-authorized 30 [extra-curricular] extra curricular event or activity, regardless of 31 where such event or activity takes place, including any event or activ- 32 ity that may take place in another state. 33 b. This section shall also apply to cyberbullying, whether on or off 34 school property or at or away from a school function. 35 § 8. Subdivision 2 of section 3006-a of the education law, as added by 36 section 2 of subpart C of part EE of chapter 56 of the laws of 2015, is 37 amended and a new subdivision 4 is added to read as follows: 38 2. a. During each five-year registration period beginning on or after 39 July first, two thousand sixteen, an applicant for registration shall 40 successfully complete a minimum of one hundred hours of continuing 41 teacher and leader education, as defined by the commissioner. The 42 department shall issue rigorous standards for courses, programs, and 43 activities, that shall qualify as continuing teacher and leader educa- 44 tion pursuant to this section. For purposes of this section, a peer 45 review teacher, or a principal acting as an independent trained evalu- 46 ator, conducting a classroom observation as part of the teacher evalu- 47 ation system pursuant to section three thousand twelve-d of this article 48 may credit such time towards his or her continuing teacher and leader 49 effectiveness requirements. 50 b. During each five-year registration period beginning on or after a 51 date which shall be determined by the commissioner, any teacher who is 52 an applicant for registration shall successfully complete a minimum of 53 five hours of professional development related to media literacy educa- 54 tion and any library media specialist shall complete a minimum of 55 fifteen hours of professional development related to media literacy 56 education, as defined by the commissioner. Such professional develop-A. 5318--A 9 1 ment related to media literacy education shall be counted toward the one 2 hundred hours of continuing teacher and leader education required by 3 paragraph a of this subdivision. The commissioner shall require that: 4 (i) professional development related to media literacy education 5 incorporates the principles and practices of the department's culturally 6 responsive-sustaining framework; 7 (ii) professional development related to media literacy education is 8 provided by or in coordination with a library media specialist or an 9 employee from a school district's library system in every school 10 district; 11 (iii) library media specialists in every school district receive 12 specific training in how to provide professional development related to 13 media literacy education to teachers of all grade levels and subject 14 areas contained in their schools, which shall include instruction on how 15 to effectively integrate media literacy education into such teachers' 16 curricula; and 17 (iv) the department creates and provides model curricula and teaching 18 and professional development resources which incorporate media literacy 19 education on its website. 20 c. During each five-year registration period beginning on or after a 21 date which shall be determined by the commissioner, any teacher who is 22 an applicant for registration shall successfully complete a minimum of 23 five hours of professional development related to articles two and two-A 24 of this chapter. Such professional development shall be counted toward 25 the one hundred hours of continuing teacher and leader education 26 required by paragraph a of this subdivision. The commissioner shall 27 require that: 28 (i) professional development related to articles two and two-A of this 29 chapter incorporates the principles and practices of the department's 30 culturally responsive-sustaining framework; 31 (ii) professional development related to articles two and two-A of 32 this chapter is provided by or in coordination with a teacher or guid- 33 ance counselor in every school district; and 34 (iii) the department creates and provides model curricula and teaching 35 and professional development resources which incorporate the principles 36 and practices articulated in articles two and two-A of this chapter on 37 its website. 38 d. Nothing in this section shall limit the ability of local school 39 districts to agree pursuant to collective bargaining to additional hours 40 of professional development or continuing teacher or leader education 41 above the minimum requirements set forth in this section. 42 [c.] e. A certified individual who has not satisfied the continuing 43 teacher and leader education requirements shall not be issued a five- 44 year registration certificate by the department and shall not practice 45 unless and until a registration or conditional registration certificate 46 is issued as provided in subdivision three of this section. For purposes 47 of this subdivision, "continuing teacher and leader education require- 48 ments" shall mean activities designed to improve the teacher or leader's 49 pedagogical and/or leadership skills, targeted at improving student 50 performance, including but not limited to formal continuing teacher and 51 leader education activities. Such activities shall promote the profes- 52 sionalization of teaching and be closely aligned to district goals for 53 student performance which meet the standards prescribed by regulations 54 of the commissioner. To fulfill the continuing teacher and leader educa- 55 tion requirement, programs must be taken from sponsors approved by theA. 5318--A 10 1 department, which shall include but not be limited to school districts, 2 pursuant to the regulations of the commissioner. 3 4. For the purposes of this section, "library media specialist" shall 4 mean an individual employed by a school district as a library media 5 specialist pursuant to section 91.2 of title eight of the codes, rules 6 and regulations of the state of New York. 7 § 9. The sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000), or so much 8 thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of 9 education out of moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to the 10 credit of the state purposes account, not otherwise appropriated, and 11 made immediately available, for the purposes of carrying out the 12 provisions of this act. Five million dollars ($5,000,000) of such funds 13 shall be used for purposes including, but not limited to, the develop- 14 ment and distribution of teacher trainings, model lessons, and continu- 15 ing education classes. Five million dollars ($5,000,000) of such funds 16 shall be used for purposes including, but not limited to, the develop- 17 ment and implementation of media literacy standards, teacher trainings, 18 and continuing professional development. Five million dollars 19 ($5,000,000) of such funds shall be used for purposes including, but not 20 limited to, the development and distribution of policies, standards, and 21 trainings related to suicide prevention. Such moneys shall be payable on 22 the audit and warrant of the state comptroller on vouchers certified or 23 approved by the commissioner of the department of education in the 24 manner prescribed by law. 25 § 10. This act shall take effect immediately.
