NY State Senate Bill 2021-S126

Senate Bill S126

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Establishes an educational program related to the prevention of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia bias and discrimination based on religion, race, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to education
Jan 06, 2021	referred to education

co-Sponsors

2021-S126 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A2511
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §305, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S7198, A9599
2023-2024: S4502, A2146

2021-S126 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes an educational program related to the prevention of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia bias and discrimination based on religion, race, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.

2021-S126 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S126

SPONSOR: KAPLAN
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing an educa-
tional program related to the prevention of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia
bias and discrimination based on religion, race, sexual orientation or
gender identity or expression

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This legislation creates an anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and discrimi-
nation prevention and education program overseen by the Department that
includes a curriculum standard.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: creates a new subdivision 59 to

Section 305 of the education law. Specifically this section would

require the Department to contract with an outside entity with expertise
in the prevention of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and discrimination
based on religion, race, sexual orientation or gender identity or
expression. This organization would be tasked with creating an anti-Sem-
itism, Islamophobia and discrimination prevention and education program
overseen by the Department. Working together they will create an educa-
tional program within the Department related to the prevention of anti-
Semitism. Islamophobia and discrimination based on religion, race, sexu-
al orientation or gender identity or expression. This program will be
designed to educate students, parents and school personnel about the
prevention of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and discrimination based on
religion, race, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.

The Commissioner in collaboration with any stakeholder groups deemed
appropriate shall develop an anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and discrimi-
nation prevention and education program in age-appropriate model curric-
ulum including lesson plans, best practice instructional resources for
students, parents, and school personnel designed to prevent anti-Semi-
tism, Islamophobia, and discrimination based on religion, race, sexual
orientation or gender identity or expression.  This material shall
include but not is limited to guidelines and methods of prevention,
indicators and warning signs of anti-Semitism.  Islamophobia, and
discrimination based on religion, race, sexual orientation or gender
identity or expression. Model curriculum shall be made available for
implementation in social studies classes. This section also requires
instructional tools and materials to be updated on a periodic basis and
to be made available on the Department's website in Spanish, Creole,
Mandarin, Korean, Bengali and any other language predominantly spoken by
the population of the State.

Section 2: sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Hate has no place here. With a disturbing increase in the number of
anti-Semitic attacks and assaults occurring in New York we must work on
multiple fronts to combat the scourge of hate, intolerance, anti-Semi-
tism and Islamophobia. One of these critical ways is to ensure that our
children, the most precious of all are taught from an early age to iden-
tify discrimination and religious intolerance including hate, anti-Semi-
tism and Islamophobia; and how to fight back by promoting acceptance and
inclusion while embracing the diversity that is New York. This legis-
lation creates an anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and discrimination
prevention and education program and curriculum overseen by the Depart-
ment to engage our students, their parents and school faculty to help
teach be acceptance and inclusion of all, and to identify and fight back
against those who practice hate, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, discrimi-
nation and religious intolerance.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S. 7198C/A. 9599B; Referred to the Education Committee

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:

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 addi-
tion, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for
the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to
be made and completed on or before such effective date.

2021-S126 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    126
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 6, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. KAPLAN, GOUNARDES -- 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 establishing an educa-
   tional  program related to the prevention of anti-Semitism, Islamopho-
   bia bias and discrimination based on  religion,  race,  sexual  orien-
   tation or gender identity or expression
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 59 to read as follows:
   59. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO  THE  CONTRARY,  AND
 SUBJECT  TO  AN  APPROPRIATION,  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL CONTRACT WITH AN
 OUTSIDE ENTITY WHO HAS EXPERTISE IN  THE  PREVENTION  OF  ANTI-SEMITISM,
 ISLAMOPHOBIA  BIAS  AND  DISCRIMINATION  BASED ON RELIGION, RACE, SEXUAL
 ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION TO ESTABLISH AN  ANTI-SEMI-
 TISM,  ISLAMOPHOBIA  BIAS  AND  DISCRIMINATION  PREVENTION AND EDUCATION
 PROGRAM OVERSEEN BY SUCH DEPARTMENT. THE COMMISSIONER  SHALL  WORK  WITH
 SUCH  OUTSIDE  ENTITY,  TO  ESTABLISH AND DEVELOP AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
 WITHIN SUCH DEPARTMENT  RELATED  TO  THE  PREVENTION  OF  ANTI-SEMITISM,
 ISLAMOPHOBIA  BIAS  AND  DISCRIMINATION  BASED ON RELIGION, RACE, SEXUAL
 ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY  OR  EXPRESSION  IN  GRADES  KINDERGARTEN
 THROUGH  TWELVE.  SUCH  PROGRAM SHALL BE FURTHER DEFINED BY SUCH COMMIS-
 SIONER IN REGULATION AND SHALL BE DESIGNED TO EDUCATE STUDENTS,  PARENTS
 AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL ABOUT THE PREVENTION OF ANTI-SEMITISM, ISLAMOPHOBIA
 BIAS  AND  DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RELIGION, RACE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR
 GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION.  SUCH COMMISSIONER, IN COLLABORATION WITH
 ANY OTHER STAKEHOLDER GROUPS DEEMED APPROPRIATE  BY  SUCH  COMMISSIONER,
 SHALL DEVELOP:
   A.  THE ANTI-SEMITISM, ISLAMOPHOBIA BIAS AND DISCRIMINATION PREVENTION
 AND EDUCATION PROGRAM PREPARED BY AN OUTSIDE  EXPERT  ORGANIZATION  INTO
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01817-01-1

 S. 126                              2
 
 AGE-APPROPRIATE  MODEL  CURRICULUM  RESOURCES, INCLUDING EXEMPLAR LESSON
 PLANS, AND BEST PRACTICE INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES FOR  STUDENTS,  PARENTS
 AND  SCHOOL  PERSONNEL  DESIGNED  TO PREVENT ANTI-SEMITISM, ISLAMOPHOBIA
 BIAS  AND  DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RELIGION, RACE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR
 GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION. SUCH MODEL CURRICULUM, RESOURCES,  LESSON
 PLANS  AND  INSTRUCTIONAL  RESOURCES SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO
 GUIDELINES AND METHODS OF PREVENTION, INDICATORS AND  WARNING  SIGNS  OF
 ANTI-SEMITISM,  ISLAMOPHOBIA  BIAS AND DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RELIGION,
 RACE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY  OR  EXPRESSION,  GUIDELINES
 AND  METHODS  TO  PREVENT ANTI-SEMITISM, ISLAMOPHOBIA BIAS AND DISCRIMI-
 NATION BASED ON RELIGION, RACE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY OR
 EXPRESSION AND HOW TO REPORT COMPLAINTS OF  ANTI-SEMITISM,  ISLAMOPHOBIA
 BIAS  AND  DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RELIGION, RACE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR
 GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION.   SUCH MODEL  CURRICULUM  SHALL  BE  MADE
 AVAILABLE  TO  SCHOOL BOARDS, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS, THEIR EQUIVALENTS,
 AND TEACHERS FOR VOLUNTARY IMPLEMENTATION IN SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSES  AND
 IN SOCIAL STUDIES COURSEWORK;
   B.  INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS AND MATERIALS FOR STUDENTS, PARENTS AND SCHOOL
 PERSONNEL, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE UPDATED  INFORMATION  ON  HOW  TO  REPORT
 INCIDENTS  OF  ANTI-SEMITISM, ISLAMOPHOBIA BIAS AND DISCRIMINATION BASED
 ON RELIGION, RACE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY OR  EXPRESSION,
 WITH  A  REVIEW  OF SUCH INFORMATION TO OCCUR PERIODICALLY, AT INTERVALS
 DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY SUCH COMMISSIONER; AND
   C. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF ALL MATERIALS RELATED TO THE  ANTI-SEMITISM,
 ISLAMOPHOBIA BIAS AND DISCRIMINATION PREVENTION AND EDUCATION PROGRAM ON
 SUCH  DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE IN SPANISH, CREOLE, MANDARIN, KOREAN, BENGALI
 AND ANY OTHER LANGUAGE PREDOMINANTLY SPOKEN BY  THE  POPULATION  OF  THE
 STATE.
   §  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
 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.

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Senate Bill S126

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Sponsored By

Anna M. Kaplan