S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8472
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 21, 2009
___________
Introduced by M. of A. NOLAN -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the notification of a
student's right to refuse the performance or witnessing of dissection
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 809 of the education law, as
amended by chapter 542 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as
follows:
4. Dissection of animals. Any student expressing a moral or religious
objection to the performance or witnessing of the dissection of an
animal, either wholly or in part, shall be provided the opportunity to
undertake and complete an alternative project that shall be approved by
such student's teacher; provided, however, that such objection is
substantiated in writing by the student's parent or legal guardian.
Students who perform alternative projects who do not perform or witness
the dissection of animals shall not be penalized. TEACHERS SHALL NOTIFY
STUDENTS OF THEIR RIGHTS UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION PRIOR TO THE USE OF ANY
ANIMAL FOR DISSECTION.
S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11167-01-9