S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5963
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 23, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  LIU,  CHU,  COONEY,  THOMAS, GOUNARDES, KAVANAGH,
   STAVISKY, COMRIE, 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  public
   elementary  schools  and  high schools to provide instruction in Asian
   American history and civic impact
 
   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 801-b
 to read as follows:
   § 801-B. CURRICULAR MATERIALS OF STUDY IN ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWA-
 IIAN, AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HISTORY AND CIVIC IMPACT.  1.  THE  BOARD  OF
 REGENTS  IS AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO IDENTIFY AND INTEGRATE CURRICULAR
 MATERIAL THAT REFLECTS ASIAN  AMERICAN,  NATIVE  HAWAIIAN,  AND  PACIFIC
 ISLANDER  HISTORY.  SUCH  MATERIAL  OF  STUDY  SHALL BE REQUIRED FOR ALL
 STUDENTS IN EACH GRADE OF EVERY PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, PUBLIC  MIDDLE
 SCHOOL  AND  PUBLIC  HIGH  SCHOOL  AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE
 HISTORY OR SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM OF SUCH SCHOOLS. INSTRUCTION  SHALL
 BE  PROVIDED  BY  THE  TEACHERS  EMPLOYED  IN  THE SCHOOLS THEREIN. SUCH
 INSTRUCTION SHALL INCLUDE, BUT SHALL NOT BE LIMITED TO,  INSTRUCTION  IN
 THE FOLLOWING:
   A.  THE  HISTORY OF DIASPORA OF ASIAN AMERICANS, NATIVE HAWAIIANS, AND
 PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN NEW YORK AND THE NORTHEAST;
   B. THE MOVEMENTS AND POLICIES THAT IMPACTED THE ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE
 HAWAIIAN, AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES;
   C. THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY THE ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN,  AND
 PACIFIC  ISLANDER  COMMUNITIES  IN  GOVERNMENT,  THE  ARTS,  HUMANITIES,
 SCIENCE AND THE ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT  OF
 THE UNITED STATES;
   D.  THE  STRUCTURES  AND HISTORICAL EVENTS THAT HAVE LIMITED OR HARMED
 THE ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, PACIFIC ISLANDER AND OTHER  HISTOR-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06038-02-3
              

 S. 5963                             2
 
 ICALLY  MARGINALIZED  COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY AS IT PERTAINS TO THE CIVIL
 RIGHTS MOVEMENT; AND
   E.  THE  SOLIDARITY  BETWEEN  ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, PACIFIC
 ISLANDER AND OTHER HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES  ESPECIALLY  AS
 IT PERTAINS TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
   2.  THE  COMMISSIONER, SHALL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ASSIST IN
 THE DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION OF CURRICULAR MATERIALS FOR SUCH COURSES
 OF STUDY WHICH SHALL BE AGE APPROPRIATE AND DEVELOPED ACCORDING  TO  THE
 NEEDS  AND  ABILITIES OF STUDENTS AT SUCCESSIVE GRADE LEVELS IN ORDER TO
 PROVIDE UNDERSTANDING, AWARENESS, SKILLS, INFORMATION AND SUPPORT TO AID
 IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND PACIFIC  ISLAN-
 DER HISTORY AND CIVIC IMPACT.
   3.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  MAKE  AVAILABLE TO ALL PUBLIC ELEMENTARY
 SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE STATE  SUITABLE  CURRIC-
 ULUM  MATERIALS TO AID IN THE INSTRUCTION OF STUDENTS IN ASIAN AMERICAN,
 NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HISTORY AND CIVIC IMPACT AND SHALL
 PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING SUCH COURSES OF STUDY.
   4. COMPLETION OF A HISTORY OR SOCIAL STUDIES  COURSE  THAT  INTEGRATES
 ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND PACIFIC ISLANDER CURRICULAR MATERI-
 AL  SHALL  CONSTITUTE  AN AFFIRMATION BY STUDENTS OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO
 RESPECT THE DIGNITY OF ALL RACES AND PEOPLES AND TO FOREVER ESCHEW EVERY
 FORM OF DISCRIMINATION IN THEIR LIVES AND CAREERS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.