NY State Senate Bill 2015-S714A

Archive: Last 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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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 17, 2016	print number 714a
Mar 17, 2016	amend and recommit to education
Jan 06, 2016	referred to education
Jan 07, 2015	referred to education

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2015-S714 - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §801, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: S7759
2017-2018: S1472

2015-S714 - Summary

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

2015-S714 - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S714

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
requiring courses of instruction to include information on "comfort
women"

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

The purpose of the bill is to facilitate the teaching of an unbiased
and factual account of events that occurred during World War II
involving the Comfort Women.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1 of the bill amends subdivisions 1 and 3 of section 801 of
the education law by amending the opening paragraphs to include
curriculum instruction on violence against women during periods of
armed conflict including the comfort women of the second world war.

Section 2 of the bill sets an effective date of the July 1, 2017.

 JUSTIFICATION :

The purpose of this legislation is to facilitate the teaching of an
unbiased and factual account of events that occurred during World War
11. It is important to ensure that events such as those that occurred

in relation to the "comfort women" are accurately reflected in the
text books we use to teach our students.

During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army forced thousands of
women to prostitute themselves for the benefit of the Emperor's troops
in Korea and other nations. There have been recent efforts to deny the
existence of this human rights atrocity and to blame it on alleged
"racial conflicts" and efforts to harass the people of Japan.  These
attempts to deny or minimize such historic events make it necessary to
provide an unbiased and factual account of these issues to our
students.

It is also important to make sure this history is taught in light of
the increasing amount of sex trafficking that is happening within the
United States as well as throughout the world.

It is the responsibility of the legislature to make sure that the
history of the "comfort women" is not ignored and to shed light on the
continuing victimization of women and men that has a long and
torturous legacy dating back many thousands of years.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

None.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS :

None known.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2017.

2015-S714 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    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:

  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

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

                                                           LBD03447-01-5

S. 714                              2

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-
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, 2017.

2015-S714A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §801, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: S7759
2017-2018: S1472

2015-S714A (ACTIVE) - Summary

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

2015-S714A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S714A

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring courses of
instruction to include information on "comfort women"

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

The purpose of the bill is to facilitate the teaching of an unbiased
and factual account of events that occurred during World War II
involving the Comfort Women.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1 of the bill amends subdivisions 1 and 3 of section 801 of
the education law by amending the opening paragraphs to include
curriculum instruction on violence against women during periods of
armed conflict including the comfort women of the second world war.

Section 2 of the bill sets an effective date of the July 1, 2018.

 JUSTIFICATION :

The purpose of this legislation is to facilitate the teaching of an
unbiased and factual account of events that occurred during World War

11. It is important to ensure that events such as those that occurred
in relation to the "comfort women" are accurately reflected in the
textbooks we use to teach our students.

During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army forced thousands of
women to prostitute themselves for the benefit of the Emperor's troops
in Korea and other nations. There have been recent efforts to deny the
existence of this human rights atrocity and to blame it on alleged
"racial conflicts" and efforts to harass the people of Japan.  These
attempts to deny or minimize such historic events make it necessary to
provide an unbiased and factual account of these issues to our
students.

It is also important to make sure this history is taught in light of
the increasing amount of sex trafficking that is happening within the
United States as well as throughout the world.

It is the responsibility of the legislature to make sure that the
history of the "comfort women" is not ignored and to shed light on the
continuing victimization of women and men that has a long and
torturous legacy dating back many thousands of years.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

None.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS :

None known.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2018.

2015-S714A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                 714--A

                       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  --  recommitted
  to the Committee on Education in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8
  --  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

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

                                                           LBD03447-02-6

S. 714--A                           2

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-
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, 2018.

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Find your Senator and share your views on important issues.

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Senate Bill S714A

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Actions

Bill Amendments

2015-S714 - Details

2015-S714 - Summary

2015-S714 - Sponsor Memo

2015-S714 - Bill Text download pdf

2015-S714A (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S714A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S714A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S714A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

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Senate Bill S714A

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Sponsored By

Tony Avella

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Actions

Bill Amendments

2015-S714 - Details

2015-S714 - Summary

2015-S714 - Sponsor Memo

2015-S714 - Bill Text download pdf

2015-S714A (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S714A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S714A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S714A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments