Permits union free and central school district boards of education to establish wards for the purpose of school board elections in Orange County

Latest action Feb 9, 2026

Authorizes the boards of education in union free school districts and central school districts to establish wards for the purpose of school board elections in Orange County.

Not chosen yet

Where it stands

Passed one of the two chambers; it still needs the other.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

New York State Senate

Same as A5048, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Amends the Education Law.

Committee

Education · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Education · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

To permit school districts located entirely or partially within Orange County, organized under articles 35 and 37 of the New York Education Law, to allow their voters the option to approve a referendum that will restrict the election of candidates to the Board of Education to the particular election district where those candidates and the voters of that particular election district reside.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateFeb 9, 2026Result: passed
(41) (19) (0) (3)
Vote: Committee vote · Education
Senate EducationJan 28, 2026Result: passed
(11) (4) (0) (0)
Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateMar 17, 2025Result: passed
(40) (21) (0) (2)
Vote: Committee vote · Education
Senate EducationFeb 11, 2025Result: passed
(11) (4) (0) (0)

The sponsor's argument

Why James Skoufis says this is needed

Under current law, union-free school districts and central school districts, upon their motion, may divide into separate election districts. However, current law does not permit a school district to restrict candidates to run for office only in the election district where they reside or to limit voters to elect a candidate only from the election district where they reside. To prevent overrepresentation or underrepresentation of one geographical area over the other, this legis- lation would give voters the option to approve a referendum that will restrict the election of candidates to the board of education to the particular election district where those candidates and the voters of that particular election district reside.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

Feb 9, 2026
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
Feb 9, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
Feb 9, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO EDUCATION
NY Assembly
Feb 3, 2026
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
Jan 29, 2026
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate

Show full history (12 earlier events)

Jan 28, 2026
1ST Report CAL.173
1ST REPORT CAL.173
NY Senate
Jan 7, 2026
Died in Assembly
DIED IN ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO EDUCATION
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO EDUCATION
NY Senate
Mar 17, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
Mar 17, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
Mar 17, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO EDUCATION
NY Assembly
Feb 24, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
Feb 12, 2025
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
Feb 11, 2025
1ST Report CAL.312
1ST REPORT CAL.312
NY Senate
Feb 11, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO EDUCATION
NY Assembly
Feb 4, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO EDUCATION
NY Senate

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Nov 1, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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