Fear not, New York helicopter parents! No longer can someone convicted of aggravated manslaughter, aggravated sexual abuse or sex trafficking take your children to school.

That’s because today Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed a law to expand the list of convictions that disqualify a school bus driver from either permanently or temporarily operating a school bus.

The law adds to the list of convictions that would either permanently disqualify an applicant from being a bus driver or disqualify the candidate for five years. Under the new law, crimes for which a conviction would ban a person from becoming a school bus driver include:

· aggravated manslaughter in the first or second degree
· aggravated sexual abuse in the second, third, and fourth degree
· sexual abuse in the first degree
· course of sexual conduct against a child in the first or second degree,
· facilitating a sex offense with a controlled substance
· predatory sexual assault
· sex trafficking
· disseminating indecent materials to minors in the first degree
· use of a child in a sexual performance
· promoting or possessing a sexual performance by a child
· aggravated assault upon a child less than 11 years old
· luring a child
· persistent sexual abuse
· aggravated criminally negligent homicide
· criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds

“This law will protect our children by making sure those convicted of sexual offenses and other serious crimes are disqualified from becoming school bus drivers,” Cuomo said. “Keeping our children safe must always be a top priority and by signing this legislation we are putting in place additional precautions that will help protect our students.

The law also changes from a temporary five-year prohibition to a permanent prohibition vehicular manslaughter in the first degree, aggravated vehicular homicide, and promoting prostitution in the first, second, or third degree.

Follow David Freedlander via RSS.