Senate Bill S242

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    242
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 9, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  ORTT  --  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 courses of instruction
   in patriotism and citizenship and in certain historic documents

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Legislative  intent.  The  legislature  hereby  finds and
 declares that exposure of students to primary  source  documents  giving
 record  of  American  history  and  heritage should be encouraged. It is
 important that the integrity of such historical documents be  maintained
 to  preclude  intentional  or  unintentional censorship of the writings,
 documents and records documenting American history and heritage.
   § 2. Section 801 of the education law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 6 to read as follows:
   6. THE REGENTS SHALL PROMULGATE RULES WHICH SHALL PERMIT THE BOARDS OF
 EDUCATION AND TRUSTEES OF THE SEVERAL CITIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF THE
 STATE  TO  ALLOW  AND ENCOURAGE ANY TEACHER OR ADMINISTRATOR IN A PUBLIC
 SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THIS STATE TO READ OR POST IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL  BUILD-
 ING,  CLASSROOM,  OR  EVENT  EXCERPTS OR PORTIONS OF THE PREAMBLE TO THE
 STATE CONSTITUTION OF NEW YORK; THE  DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE;  THE
 CONSTITUTION  OF  THE UNITED STATES; THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT; THE NATIONAL
 MOTTO; THE NATIONAL ANTHEM; THE  PLEDGE  OF  ALLEGIANCE;  THE  WRITINGS,
 SPEECHES, DOCUMENTS AND PROCLAMATIONS OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS AND PRESI-
 DENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES; ORGANIC DOCUMENTS FROM THE PRE-COLONIAL,
 COLONIAL, REVOLUTIONARY, FEDERALIST, AND  POST-FEDERALIST  ERAS;  UNITED
 STATES  SUPREME  COURT  DECISIONS;  ACTS  OF  THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS
 INCLUDING THE PUBLISHED TEXT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD; AND ANY  OTHER
 PRIMARY SOURCE OR HISTORIC DOCUMENT. SUCH RULES SHALL PROVIDE THAT THERE
 BE  NO  CONTENT BASED CENSORSHIP OF AMERICAN HISTORY OR HERITAGE IN THIS
 STATE WITH REFERENCE TO THESE WRITINGS, DOCUMENTS, AND RECORDS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02437-01-9

 S. 242                              2
 
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the first  day  of  September  next
 succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law, except that any
 rules  necessary for the timely implementation of this act on its effec-
 tive date shall be promulgated on or before such date.