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S10560 • 2025

Limits the use of timeout boxes, closets or other secluded physical enclosures in schools in the state

Limits the use of timeout boxes, closets or other secluded physical enclosures in schools in the state

Children Education
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Dan Stec
Last action
2026-05-21
Official status
In Senate Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Limits the use of timeout boxes, closets or other secluded physical enclosures in schools in the state

Limits the use of timeout boxes, closets or other secluded physical enclosures in schools in the state Prohibits the use of timeout boxes, closets or other secluded physical enclosures for children in schools in the state except for authorized uses prescribed by the commissioner.

What This Bill Does

  • Limits the use of timeout boxes, closets or other secluded physical enclosures in schools in the state Prohibits the use of timeout boxes, closets or other secluded physical enclosures for children in schools in the state except for authorized uses prescribed by the commissioner.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-21 Senate

    REFERRED TO EDUCATION

Official Summary Text

Limits the use of timeout boxes, closets or other secluded physical enclosures in schools in the state
Prohibits the use of timeout boxes, closets or other secluded physical enclosures for children in schools in the state except for authorized uses prescribed by the commissioner.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          10560

                                    I N  S E N A T E

                                      May 21, 2026
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  STEC  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Education

        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to limiting  the  use  of
          timeout  boxes,  closets  or  other  secluded  physical  enclosures in
          schools in the state

          THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
        BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

     1    Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 116 to
     2  read as follows:
     3    § 116. PROHIBITIONS ON TIMEOUT BOXES IN SCHOOLS. 1. THE USE OF TIMEOUT
     4  BOXES,  CLOSETS  OR OTHER SECLUDED PHYSICAL ENCLOSURES FOR THE ISOLATION
     5  OF CHILDREN ARE PROHIBITED IN SCHOOLS  IN  THE  STATE,  EXCEPT  FOR  THE
     6  AUTHORIZED  LIMITED  USE OF TIMEOUT AND PHYSICAL RESTRAINT AS PRESCRIBED
     7  IN THE COMMISSIONER'S REGULATIONS.
     8    2. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
     9    (A) "TIMEOUT BOX" SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO,  A  WOODEN  OR
    10  PADDED ROOM OR STRUCTURE WHERE A CHILD IS ISOLATED.
    11    (B)  "SCHOOL"  MEANS  A  PUBLIC  SCHOOL DISTRICT, BOARD OF COOPERATIVE
    12  EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, CHARTER SCHOOL, STATE-OPERATED AND STATE-SUPPORTED
    13  SCHOOL PURSUANT TO ARTICLES EIGHTY-FIVE, EIGHTY-SEVEN  AND  EIGHTY-EIGHT
    14  OF  THIS  CHAPTER, IN-STATE AND OUT-OF-STATE PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL OR NON-
    15  RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL FOR  THE  EDUCATION  OF  STUDENTS  WITH  DISABILITIES
    16  APPROVED  PURSUANT  TO  ARTICLE EIGHTY-NINE OF THIS CHAPTER OR OPERATING
    17  UNDER ARTICLE EIGHTY-ONE OF THIS CHAPTER, STATE-ADMINISTERED  PREKINDER-
    18  GARTEN  PROGRAM DIRECTLY OPERATED BY A SCHOOL DISTRICT, BOARD OF COOPER-
    19  ATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, OR AN ELIGIBLE AGENCY, AS DEFINED IN 8 NYCRR
    20  151-1.2 (B), OR OPERATED BY A SCHOOL DISTRICT IN COLLABORATION  WITH  AN
    21  ELIGIBLE  AGENCY,  PRESCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM APPROVED PURSUANT
    22  TO SECTION FOUR THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED TEN OF THIS  CHAPTER,  AND  REGIS-
    23  TERED  NONPUBLIC  NURSERY  SCHOOL,  KINDERGARTEN, AND HIGH SCHOOL, AND A
    24  NONPUBLIC SCHOOL SERVING GRADES ONE THROUGH EIGHT THAT HAS A  REGISTERED
    25  HIGH SCHOOL, IN THIS STATE.
    26    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD15984-01-6