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

                                   518

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 7, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. ROSENTHAL, COLTON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of
  A. GLICK -- 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.
              

                                                           LBD04113-01-5

A. 518                              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.