S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  6126

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 25, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M. of A. ROSENTHAL, EDDINGTON, COLTON -- Multi-Sponsored
  by -- M. of A. GLICK, GREENE, WEISENBERG -- read once and referred  to
  the Committee on Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to expanding the require-
  ments for teaching humane education to secondary school students

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

  Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section  809  of  the  education  law,  as
amended  by  chapter  542  of  the  laws  of 1994, is amended to read as
follows:
  1. A. The officer, board  or  commission  authorized  or  required  to
prescribe  courses of instruction shall cause instruction to be given in
every elementary school under state control or supported wholly or part-
ly by public money of the state, in the humane treatment and  protection
of  animals  and  the importance of the part they play in the economy of
nature as well as the necessity  of  controlling  the  proliferation  of
animals  which  are  subsequently abandoned and caused to suffer extreme
cruelty. Such instruction shall be for such period of time  during  each
school year as the board of regents may prescribe and may be joined with
work  in  literature, reading, language, nature study or ethnology. Such
weekly instruction may be divided into two or more periods.
  B. THE  OFFICER,  BOARD,  OR  COMMISSION  AUTHORIZED  OR  REQUIRED  TO
PRESCRIBE  COURSES OF INSTRUCTION SHALL CAUSE INSTRUCTION TO BE GIVEN IN
EVERY SECONDARY SCHOOL UNDER STATE CONTROL OR SUPPORTED WHOLLY OR PARTLY
BY PUBLIC MONEY OF THE STATE, IN THE HUMANE TREATMENT AND PROTECTION  OF
ANIMALS  AND  THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  PART THEY PLAY IN THE ECONOMY OF
NATURE AS WELL AS THE NECESSITY  OF  CONTROLLING  THE  PROLIFERATION  OF
ANIMALS  WHICH  ARE  SUBSEQUENTLY ABANDONED AND CAUSED TO SUFFER EXTREME
CRUELTY.  SUCH INSTRUCTION SHALL INCLUDE EDUCATING STUDENTS ON THE PRIN-
CIPLES OF KINDNESS TO AND RESPECT FOR ANIMALS AND OBSERVANCE OF LAWS AND
RULES PERTAINING TO THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF  ANIMALS.  THE  COMMISSIONER

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD09818-01-9
              

A. 6126                             2

SHALL  DETERMINE HOW TO INCORPORATE SUCH INSTRUCTION IN EXISTING CURRIC-
ULA AND THE COMMISSIONER SHALL  PROMULGATE  ANY  REGULATIONS  NEEDED  TO
CARRY OUT SUCH DETERMINATION.
  C.  A  school  district  shall  not  be entitled to participate in the
public school money on account of any school or the  attendance  at  any
school  subject  to  the  provisions of this section, if the instruction
required [hereby] PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION is not given therein.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
addition,  amendment  and/or  repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
for the implementation of this act on its effective date are  authorized
and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.