S194B

The New York State Senate passed Senate Print 194B, an amendment to the General Business Law, on a 48-11 roll call vote. The bill takes effect August 1, 2027. Sen. Helming led opposition to the measure, arguing it represents an unfunded mandate that would further burden schools and taxpayers already struggling with double-digit cost increases. She noted that under the current budget proposal, many school districts face only a 1 percent increase in Foundation Aid while confronting significant cost pressures from utilities, healthcare, insurance and existing mandates such as the all-electric school bus requirement. Helming called for the state to provide dedicated funding resources for school safety improvements rather than imposing additional mandates without financial support. She referenced Republican Conference alternatives that would tie school safety investments to state funding streams and cited student testimony from a Monroe County School Board Association meeting emphasizing that "if the state is going to mandate it, the state should pay for it." Eleven senators voted against the bill: Borrello, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.