Int. No. 929-B
By Council Members Borelli, Holden, Rivera, Kallos, Yeger, Barron, Levin, Rose, Ampry-Samuel, Brannan, Ayala, Van Bramer and Miller
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to reporting by the department of education of complaints and investigations relating to school bus transportation services
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 26 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by a local law for the year 2019 amending the administrative code of the city of New York in relation to requiring the department of education to report on school bus transportation services, as proposed in introduction number 1173-B, is amended by adding a new section 21-995 to read as follows:
§ 21-995 Reporting on office of pupil transportation investigations. a. Beginning October 31, 2019, and on or before each April 30 and October 31 thereafter, the department shall submit to the speaker of the council and post on the department's website a report for the relevant reporting period, including:
1. The total number of calls from authorized parents and guardians received by the department about school bus transportation services, disaggregated by the nature of such calls;
2. The total number of complaints from authorized parents and guardians received by the department about an employee of a school bus vendor, disaggregated by vendor, the nature of such complaint, whether such complaint led to a departmental determination of misconduct, and a description of the actions taken by the department for each complaint; and
3. The total number of investigations of employees of school bus vendors opened by the department, including following a complaint by an authorized parent or guardian and any other source of information that may lead to such investigation; the number of investigations in which the department found that an employee of a school bus vendor engaged in misconduct; and descriptions of outcomes relating to any investigations in which the department found that an employee of a school bus vendor engaged in misconduct.
b. The data provided pursuant to subdivision a of this section shall be aggregated citywide, as well as disaggregated by school bus vendor and borough.
c. No information that is otherwise required to be reported pursuant to this section shall be reported in a manner that would violate any applicable provision of federal, state or local law related to the privacy of information or that would interfere with law enforcement investigations or otherwise conflict with the interests of law enforcement. Where necessary, the department may use preliminary data to prepare such reports and may include an acknowledgment that such preliminary data is non-final and subject to change.
§ 2. This local law takes effect on the same date as a local law amending the administrative code of the city of New York, relating to requiring the department of education to report on school bus transportation services, as proposed in introduction number 1173-B for the year 2018, takes effect.
MMB/BG
LS # 5416
12/31/18 11:30pm