S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8756--A
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             November 25, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  RICHARDSON  -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Education -- recommitted to the Committee on Education in
   accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged,  bill
   amended,  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
   tee

 AN ACT to amend the education  law,  in  relation  to  establishing  the
   commission on African American history and achievement
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 817 to
 read as follows:
   § 817. AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENT. 1.  THE COMMISSION ON
 AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENT; ESTABLISHED. (A)  THE  COMMIS-
 SION  ON  AFRICAN  AMERICAN HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENT, REFERRED TO IN THIS
 SECTION AS THE  COMMISSION,  IS  HEREBY  CREATED  AND  ESTABLISHED.  THE
 COMMISSION  SHALL CONSIST OF THIRTEEN MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE COMMISSION-
 ER, OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE, THE CHANCELLOR OF NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS,  OR
 HIS OR HER DESIGNEE, THE CHANCELLOR OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK,
 OR  HIS  OR HER DESIGNEE, AND THE CHANCELLOR OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS, OR
 HIS OR HER DESIGNEE, THREE MEMBERS  APPOINTED  BY  THE  GOVERNOR,  THREE
 MEMBERS  APPOINTED  BY  THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, AND THREE
 MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE  ASSEMBLY.    APPOINTED  MEMBERS
 SHALL  INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO TEACHERS, INCLUDING K-12 EDUCATORS,
 HISTORIANS, AND THOSE WITH A BACKGROUND  IN  AFRICAN  AMERICAN  HISTORY,
 ARTS, OR CULTURE.
   (B)  EACH  MEMBER  SHALL  SERVE FOR A TERM OF THREE YEARS AND SHALL BE
 ELIGIBLE FOR REAPPOINTMENT. A VACANCY OCCURRING OTHER THAN BY EXPIRATION
 OF TERM SHALL BE FILLED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE  ORIGINAL  APPOINTMENT
 FOR THE UNEXPIRED TERM.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05533-04-0

              

 A. 8756--A                          2
 
   (C) THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION SHALL SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION BUT
 SHALL  BE  ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL NECESSARY EXPENSES INCURRED
 IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.
   (D) THE COMMISSIONER, OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE, SHALL SERVE AS THE CHAIR
 AND  THE  CHANCELLOR  OF  NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS, OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE,
 SHALL SERVE AS THE VICE-CHAIR OF  THE  COMMISSION.  THE  PRESENCE  OF  A
 MAJORITY  OF  THE  AUTHORIZED  MEMBERSHIP  OF  THE  COMMISSION  SHALL BE
 REQUIRED FOR THE CONDUCT OF OFFICIAL BUSINESS.
   (E) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND DATA TO  THE
 COMMISSION  AS  MAY  BE  NECESSARY  FOR  THE COMMISSION TO CARRY OUT ITS
 RESPONSIBILITIES PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   2. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMISSION.  (A) THE  COMMISSION
 SHALL  BE TASKED WITH DEVELOPING AND RECOMMENDING CURRICULUM THAT INCOR-
 PORATES THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS MADE BY AFRICAN AMERICANS  AS
 PART  OF  NEW  YORK'S EDUCATION CURRICULUM, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
 THE WOMEN'S ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENT, THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE,  THE  BUFFALO
 ANTI-SLAVERY  MOVEMENT,  AND  THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN
 LONG ISLANDERS.  IN FURTHERANCE OF THIS GOAL, THE COMMISSION SHALL  HAVE
 THE FOLLOWING DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
   (I)  TO  SURVEY  AND REVIEW CURRENT ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
 CURRICULUM AS IT RELATES TO CONTRIBUTIONS AND  ACHIEVEMENTS  OF  AFRICAN
 AMERICANS THROUGHOUT AMERICAN AND STATE HISTORY;
   (II)  TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS ON ADDITIONAL CURRICULUM AND INSTRUC-
 TION  FOR  GRADES  KINDERGARTEN  THROUGH  TWELVE  THAT  INCORPORATE  THE
 CONTRIBUTIONS  AND  ACHIEVEMENTS  MADE  BY  AFRICAN AMERICANS THROUGHOUT
 AMERICAN AND NEW YORK STATE HISTORY; AND
   (III) PREPARE REPORTS FOR THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE  REGARDING  ITS
 FINDINGS  AND  RECOMMENDATIONS  ON  CURRENT CURRICULUM AND INCORPORATING
 ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION ON THE CONTRIBUTIONS  AND  ACHIEVEMENTS  MADE  BY
 AFRICAN AMERICANS THROUGHOUT AMERICAN AND NEW YORK STATE HISTORY.
   (B)  THE  COMMISSION  SHALL  SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT, BEGINNING AUGUST
 FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE, TO THE GOVERNOR, THE  COMMISSIONER,  THE
 TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  SENATE,  THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE
 CHAIR OF THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, AND THE CHAIR OF  THE  ASSEMBLY
 EDUCATION COMMITTEE ON ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
   3. AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENT CURRICULUM OR INSTRUCTION.
 (A)  THE  COMMISSIONER,  IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER APPROPRIATE AGENCIES,
 SHALL ESTABLISH AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENT  CURRICULUM  OR
 INSTRUCTION  FOR  SCHOOL  DISTRICTS  BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
 COMMISSION. THE CONTENT SHALL BE AGE APPROPRIATE AND SHALL BE  DEVELOPED
 ACCORDING  TO  THE  NEEDS  AND  ABILITIES  OF PUPILS AT SUCCESSIVE GRADE
 LEVELS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE MATERIALS, AND INFORMATION IN AFRICAN  AMERI-
 CAN  HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENT. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ANNUALLY REVIEW THE
 COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND MAKE UPDATES TO CURRICULUM AS APPROPRI-
 ATE.
   (B) SCHOOLS MAY INCLUDE THE ABOVE MATERIALS  AS  A  COMPONENT  OF  ITS
 HISTORY CURRICULUM OR ANY OTHER WAY THE SCHOOL DEEMS APPROPRIATE.
   §  2.   Section 2590-h of the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 55 to read as follows:
   55. ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS IN THE CITY DISTRICT, THE CHARTER SCHOOLS
 IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK AUTHORIZED BY ARTICLE FIFTY-SIX OF THIS CHAPTER,
 AND THE NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK PROVIDING  INSTRUCTION
 IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH SECTION THIRTY-TWO HUNDRED FOUR OF THIS CHAPTER, AS
 PART OF THE INSTRUCTION IN AWARENESS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN  HISTORY  SINCE
 THE  YEAR  SIXTEEN  HUNDRED  NINETEEN  PURSUANT TO SECTION EIGHT HUNDRED

 A. 8756--A                          3
 
 SEVENTEEN OF THIS CHAPTER, SHALL VISIT SITES WHICH EDUCATE  ABOUT  THESE
 HISTORICAL EVENTS.
   §  3.  This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that
 the amendments to section 2590-h of the education law  made  by  section
 two  of  this  act shall not affect the expiration and reversion of such
 section and shall expire and be deemed repealed therewith.