Education

This bill authorizes the city of Ithaca to implement a demonstration program using speed cameras in school zones to enforce speed limits and hold vehicle owners financially responsible for violations. The program would allow the city to install photo monitoring systems in up to twelve school zones, with strict rules requiring annual calibration, operator training, and advance public signage. Images captured by the cameras would generally not identify drivers or passengers and would be destroyed after legal cases are resolved, with limited exceptions for law enforcement investigations. The authorization for this demonstration program would expire on December 31, 2030.

Enacts the "freedom to read act"; requires the commissioner of education and school library systems to develop policies to ensure that school libraries and library staff are empowered to curate and develop collections that provide students with access to the widest array of developmentally appropriate materials available.

Provides for the inclusion of a faculty or staff member on the board of trustees of community colleges elected by and from among the faculty and staff of the college.

This bill extends Monroe County's existing authority to impose an additional 1% sales and compensating use tax (on top of the current 3% rate) until November 30, 2027. The revenue from this tax will be distributed as follows: 5% to school districts outside Rochester, 3% to towns, 1.25% to villages, and 93.75% to the city of Rochester and Monroe County (with the county portion funding county operations). Distribution formulas are based on school enrollment for districts and population ratios for towns and villages, as defined in existing tax law. The extension covers the period from December 1, 2025, through November 30, 2027.