Bill > S08597

This bill amends the New York education law to prohibit schools from denying access to public education based on a student's or their parents' actual or perceived citizenship or immigration status. The bill comprehensively defines key terms like "school," "school property," and "immigration authorities" and establishes several protections for students and families. Schools are forbidden from requesting unnecessary immigration documentation, using enrollment procedures that disproportionately delay non-citizen students, or sharing immigration status information with external parties without legal requirements. Additionally, the bill mandates that immigration enforcement cannot enter school property without a valid judicial warrant, requires schools to develop specific procedures for handling potential immigration authority interactions, and empowers the state attorney general to bring civil actions on behalf of injured parties who experience violations of these protections. Schools must develop detailed protocols within 30 days of the law's effective date, including procedures for documenting interactions with immigration authorities, protecting student privacy, and ensuring school personnel understand the new regulations. The bill provides a mechanism for legal recourse, allowing the attorney general to seek damages or injunctive relief for violations, with any monetary awards going to the injured party and potential attorney's fees awarded to the state.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8597