On June 13, 2019, Governor Cuomo signed legislation removing non-medical exemptions from school vaccination requirements for children. The United States is currently experiencing the worst outbreak of measles in more than 25 years, with outbreaks in pockets of New York primarily driving the crisis. As a result of non-medical vaccination exemptions, many communities across New York have unacceptably low rates of vaccination, and those unvaccinated children can often attend school where they may spread the disease to other unvaccinated students, some of whom cannot receive vaccines due to medical conditions. This new law will help protect the public amid this ongoing outbreak.

You do not need proof of child abuse or maltreatment to make a report, you only need to think that it has happened or that a child is at risk of being abused or maltreated. Your call to the Child Abuse Hotline is confidential. The family you report will not be told you made the report unless you say it is ok for them to know.

New York State Education Law Section 409-H, effective July 1, 2001, requires all public and non-public elementary and secondary schools to provide written notification to all persons in parental relation, faculty, and staff regarding the potential use of pesticides periodically throughout the school year.

On Sept. 6, 2016, Governor Cuomo signed legislation to require all public schools in New York State to test all potable water sources for lead. These sources include drinking fountains and sinks in classrooms, restrooms, kitchens, and outlying buildings.