Bill Text: NY S00714 | 2015-2016 | General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Requires courses of instruction to include information on "comfort women".

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-03-17 - PRINT NUMBER 714A [S00714 Detail]

Download: New_York-2015-S00714-Introduced.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                          714
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 7, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sen.  AVELLA -- 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  courses  of
         instruction to include information on "comfort women"
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 and subdivision 3 of
    2  section 801 of the education law, as amended by chapter 574 of the  laws
    3  of 1997, are amended to read as follows:
    4    In  order to promote a spirit of patriotic and civic service and obli-
    5  gation and to foster in the children of the state moral and intellectual
    6  qualities which are essential in preparing to meet  the  obligations  of
    7  citizenship  in  peace  or  in war, the regents of The University of the
    8  State of New York shall prescribe courses of instruction in  patriotism,
    9  citizenship,  and  human rights issues, with particular attention to the
   10  study of the inhumanity of  genocide,  slavery  (including  the  freedom
   11  trail  and  underground railroad), the Holocaust, VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
   12  DURING PERIODS OF ARMED CONFLICT (INCLUDING THE  COMFORT  WOMEN  OF  THE
   13  SECOND WORLD WAR), and the mass starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 1850,
   14  to  be  maintained  and  followed  in  all the schools of the state. The
   15  boards of education and  trustees  of  the  several  cities  and  school
   16  districts  of  the  state  shall require instruction to be given in such
   17  courses, by the teachers employed in the  schools  therein.  All  pupils
   18  attending  such  schools, over the age of eight years, shall attend upon
   19  such instruction.
   20    3. The regents shall determine the subjects to  be  included  in  such
   21  courses  of  instruction  in  patriotism,  citizenship, and human rights
   22  issues, with particular attention to the  study  of  the  inhumanity  of
   23  genocide,  slavery  (including  the  freedom trail and underground rail-
   24  road), the Holocaust, VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN  DURING  PERIODS  OF  ARMED
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD03447-01-5
       S. 714                              2
    1  CONFLICT  (INCLUDING THE COMFORT WOMEN OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR), and the
    2  mass starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 1850, and in the history,  mean-
    3  ing,  significance  and  effect of the provisions of the constitution of
    4  the  United States, the amendments thereto, the declaration of independ-
    5  ence, the constitution of the state of New York and the amendments ther-
    6  eto, and the period of  instruction  in  each  of  the  grades  in  such
    7  subjects.  They  shall  adopt  rules  providing for attendance upon such
    8  instruction and for such other matters as are required for carrying into
    9  effect the objects and purposes of this section. The commissioner  shall
   10  be responsible for the enforcement of such section and shall cause to be
   11  inspected  and  supervise  the instruction to be given in such subjects.
   12  The commissioner may, in his discretion, cause all or a portion  of  the
   13  public  school money to be apportioned to a district or city to be with-
   14  held for failure of the school authorities of such district or  city  to
   15  provide  instruction  in such courses and to compel attendance upon such
   16  instruction, as herein prescribed, and for  a  non-compliance  with  the
   17  rules of the regents adopted as herein provided.
   18    S 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.