Assembly Bill A3493

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3493
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 29, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. BARNWELL -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Education
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  education law, in relation to requiring certain
   school districts add American sign language to their curriculum
 
   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 817 to
 read as follows:
   §  817.  AMERICAN  SIGN LANGUAGE. 1. CERTAIN SCHOOLS, AS DESIGNATED BY
 THE COMMISSIONER UNDER THE REQUIREMENTS AS STATED IN SUBDIVISION TWO  OF
 THIS SECTION, SHALL INCLUDE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IN THEIR CURRICULUM.
   2. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL DETERMINE WHICH SCHOOLS WILL INTEGRATE AMER-
 ICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTO THEIR RESPECTIVE CURRICULUM BASED ON THE FOLLOW-
 ING CRITERIA:
   A.  IN  A  COUNTY  WITH  A  MINIMUM TOTAL OF FIFTEEN THOUSAND STUDENTS
 ENROLLED FULL TIME, AT LEAST ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL BE DESIGNATED  BY
 THE  COMMISSIONER  TO  INCORPORATE  AMERICAN  SIGN  LANGUAGE  INTO THEIR
 CURRICULUM. THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT MUST HAVE ONE  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOL,  ONE
 MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ONE HIGH SCHOOL WITHIN THE CHOSEN DISTRICT.
   B.  IN  A  COUNTY  WITH  A  MINIMUM  TOTAL  OF FIFTY THOUSAND STUDENTS
 ENROLLED FULL TIME, AT LEAST TWO SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHALL BE DESIGNATED BY
 THE COMMISSIONER  TO  INCORPORATE  AMERICAN  SIGN  LANGUAGE  INTO  THEIR
 CURRICULUM  IN AT LEAST ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ONE
 HIGH SCHOOL WITHIN EACH OF THE CHOSEN DISTRICTS.
   C. IN A COUNTY WITH A MINIMUM TOTAL OF ONE HUNDRED  THOUSAND  STUDENTS
 ENROLLED  FULL TIME, AT LEAST THREE SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHALL BE DESIGNATED
 BY THE COMMISSIONER TO INCORPORATE AMERICAN  SIGN  LANGUAGE  INTO  THEIR
 CURRICULUM  IN AT LEAST ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ONE
 HIGH SCHOOL WITHIN EACH OF THE CHOSEN DISTRICTS.
   D. IN A CITY WITH A MINIMUM TOTAL OF  ONE  MILLION  STUDENTS  ENROLLED
 FULL  TIME,  ANY  SCHOOL  DISTRICT  WITH A MINIMUM TOTAL OF SEVENTY-FIVE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD02173-01-9

 A. 3493                             2
 
 STUDENTS WITH A HEARING DISABILITY SHALL BE DESIGNATED  BY  THE  COMMIS-
 SIONER TO INCORPORATE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTO THEIR CURRICULUM IN AT
 LEAST ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ONE HIGH SCHOOL WITH-
 IN SAID DISTRICT.
   3.  THE COMMISSIONER MAY PRESCRIBE REGULATIONS GOVERNING SUCH AMERICAN
 SIGN LANGUAGE COURSES WHICH SHALL INCLUDE INSTRUCTION IN  AMERICAN  SIGN
 LANGUAGE.    SUCH  REGULATIONS  SHALL NOT PRESCRIBE A COURSE OF STUDY IN
 AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE WHICH SETS FORTH STANDARDS FOR INSTRUCTION  OF  A
 LESSER QUALITY THAN THAT OF ANY OTHER NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
   4.  SCHOOL AUTHORITIES REQUIRED TO OFFER SUCH COURSE SHALL PROVIDE THE
 NEEDED FACILITIES, TIME AND PLACE FOR THE INSTRUCTION SET  FORTH  HEREIN
 AND  SHALL  PROVIDE  LEARNING  AIDS AND CURRICULUM RESOURCE MATERIALS TO
 SUPPORT SUCH COURSE OF STUDY.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and  shall  apply  to  the
 school  year  which commences on or after July first next succeeding the
 date on which it shall have become a law. The commissioner of  education
 shall promulgate such regulations as shall be necessary to implement the
 provisions of this act not later than 30 days after such effective date.