NY State Senate Bill 2023-S3181

Senate Bill S3181

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Requires the public school curriculum for children in kindergarten through grade twelve to include a minimum of two hours per week instruction in civics lessons

download bill text pdf

Current 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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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to education
Jan 30, 2023	referred to education

2023-S3181 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A2091
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §801-a, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: A4653
2011-2012: A2532
2013-2014: A5328
2015-2016: A73
2017-2018: S5933, A1155
2019-2020: S1104, A2234
2021-2022: S833, A469

2023-S3181 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the public school curriculum for children in kindergarten through grade twelve to include a minimum of two hours per week instruction in civics lessons.

2023-S3181 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S3181

SPONSOR: HOYLMAN-SIGAL
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring the public
school curriculum for children in kindergarten through grade twelve to
include a minimum of two hours per week instruction in civics lessons

 
PURPOSE:

To incorporate into school curriculum, from kindergarten through grade
12, instruction in civility, citizenship, principle of honesty, toler-
ance, racial and global harmony, personal responsibility, morals,
ethics, respect for others, observance of laws and rules, courtesy,
dignity, and other traits that will enhance the quality of their experi-
ences in, and contributions to, the community.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section I of the bill includes a broader scope of principles that will
take on racial and global harmony and increase morals and ethics amongst

students.

Section II of the bill requires that the boards of education and trus-
tees of the cities and school districts to instruct the teachers
employed in the schools commencing with the 2013-2014 school year, and
kindergarten through 12th grade.

Section III sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

With the increase of civic disengagement as reported in the media every
day, the need to formally teach and encourage basic civic principles is
paramount. Targeting our education system to mandate the teaching of
civic duties is the best way to do so as the classroom provides an
appropriate setting to harness democratic ideals and principles amongst
students that will offset the lack thereof. It is up to the state's
education system to make our students informed citizens of tomorrow.
Society needs activists that will participate in elections and make well
informed choices.

Florida has already.taken on this role to educate its students in civic
education by mandating that 30% of a child's final test grade in 2013
school year be affected by this. New York should set the tone by passing
legislation to educate our students about their civic duties.

2023-S3181 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3181
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 30, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- 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 requiring  the  public
   school curriculum for children in kindergarten through grade twelve to
   include a minimum of two hours per week instruction in civics lessons

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 801-a of the education law, as amended  by  chapter
 102 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
   § 801-a. Instruction in civility, citizenship and character education.
 1.  The  regents  shall  ensure that the course of instruction in grades
 kindergarten through twelve includes a component on  civility,  citizen-
 ship  and character education. Such component shall instruct students on
 the principles of honesty, tolerance, RACIAL AND GLOBAL  HARMONY,  MEDIA
 LITERACY,  personal  responsibility,  MORALS  AND  ETHICS,  respect  for
 others, with an emphasis on discouraging acts of  harassment,  bullying,
 discrimination,  observance  of  laws  and  rules, courtesy, dignity and
 other traits which will enhance the quality of their experiences in, and
 contributions to, the community. THE  INSTRUCTION  SHALL  EMPHASIZE  THE
 PRACTICAL  APPLICATION  OF SUCH LESSONS AND THE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM
 IMPACT ON THE STUDENT'S LIFE AND ON THE LIVES OF OTHERS OF  IMPLEMENTING
 THE LESSONS.
   2.  THE  BOARDS  OF  EDUCATION  AND  TRUSTEES OF THE CITIES AND SCHOOL
 DISTRICTS OF THE STATE SHALL REQUIRE INSTRUCTION TO  BE  GIVEN  IN  SUCH
 MATTERS  FOR  A  MINIMUM  PERIOD  OF TWO HOURS PER WEEK, BY THE TEACHERS
 EMPLOYED IN THE SCHOOLS THEREIN, COMMENCING WITH THE TWO THOUSAND  TWEN-
 TY-THREE--TWO  THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR SCHOOL YEAR. ALL PUPILS OVER THE AGE
 OF FIVE YEARS WHO ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHALL RECEIVE SUCH INSTRUCTION.
   3. Such component shall include instruction of safe,  responsible  use
 of  the internet and electronic communications. The regents shall deter-
 mine how to incorporate such component in  existing  curricula  and  the
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04941-01-3

 S. 3181                             2
 
 commissioner  shall  promulgate any regulations needed to carry out such
 determination of the regents. For the purposes of this section,  "toler-
 ance,"  "respect  for  others" and "dignity" shall include awareness and
 sensitivity  to harassment, bullying, discrimination and civility in the
 relations of people  of  different  races,  weights,  national  origins,
 ethnic groups, religions, religious practices, mental or physical abili-
 ties, sexual orientations, genders, and sexes.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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