S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 7759--A

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              June 5, 2014
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Education  --  committee
  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
  to said committee

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:

  Section 1. The opening paragraph of subdivision 1 and subdivision 3 of
section  801 of the education law, as amended by chapter 574 of the laws
of 1997, are amended to read as follows:
  In order to promote a spirit of patriotic and civic service and  obli-
gation and to foster in the children of the state moral and intellectual
qualities  which  are  essential in preparing to meet the obligations of
citizenship in peace or in war, the regents of  The  University  of  the
State  of New York shall prescribe courses of instruction in patriotism,
citizenship, and human rights issues, with particular attention  to  the
study  of  the  inhumanity  of  genocide, slavery (including the freedom
trail and underground railroad), the Holocaust, VIOLENCE  AGAINST  WOMEN
DURING  PERIODS  OF  ARMED  CONFLICT (INCLUDING THE COMFORT WOMEN OF THE
SECOND WORLD WAR), and the mass starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 1850,
to be maintained and followed in all  the  schools  of  the  state.  The
boards  of  education  and  trustees  of  the  several cities and school
districts of the state shall require instruction to  be  given  in  such
courses,  by  the  teachers  employed in the schools therein. All pupils
attending such schools, over the age of eight years, shall  attend  upon
such instruction.
  3.  The  regents  shall  determine the subjects to be included in such
courses of instruction in  patriotism,  citizenship,  and  human  rights
issues,  with  particular  attention  to  the study of the inhumanity of
genocide, slavery (including the freedom  trail  and  underground  rail-
road),  the  Holocaust,  VIOLENCE  AGAINST WOMEN DURING PERIODS OF ARMED
CONFLICT (INCLUDING THE COMFORT WOMEN OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR), and  the
mass  starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 1850, and in the history, mean-

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD13988-12-4

S. 7759--A                          2

ing, significance and effect of the provisions of  the  constitution  of
the  United States, the amendments thereto, the declaration of independ-
ence, the constitution of the state of New York and the amendments ther-
eto,  and  the  period  of  instruction  in  each  of the grades in such
subjects. They shall adopt rules  providing  for  attendance  upon  such
instruction and for such other matters as are required for carrying into
effect  the objects and purposes of this section. The commissioner shall
be responsible for the enforcement of such section and shall cause to be
inspected and supervise the instruction to be given  in  such  subjects.
The  commissioner  may, in his discretion, cause all or a portion of the
public school money to be apportioned to a district or city to be  with-
held  for  failure of the school authorities of such district or city to
provide instruction in such courses and to compel attendance  upon  such
instruction,  as  herein  prescribed,  and for a non-compliance with the
rules of the regents adopted as herein provided.
  S 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.