The New York State Senate

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2091
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 23, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. ROZIC -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring  the  public
   school curriculum for children in kindergarten through grade twelve to
   include a minimum of two hours per week instruction in civics lessons

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 801-a of the education law, as amended  by  chapter
 102 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
   § 801-a. Instruction in civility, citizenship and character education.
 1.  The  regents  shall  ensure that the course of instruction in grades
 kindergarten through twelve includes a component on  civility,  citizen-
 ship  and character education. Such component shall instruct students on
 the principles of honesty, tolerance, RACIAL AND GLOBAL  HARMONY,  MEDIA
 LITERACY,  personal  responsibility,  MORALS  AND  ETHICS,  respect  for
 others, with an emphasis on discouraging acts of  harassment,  bullying,
 discrimination,  observance  of  laws  and  rules, courtesy, dignity and
 other traits which will enhance the quality of their experiences in, and
 contributions to, the community. THE  INSTRUCTION  SHALL  EMPHASIZE  THE
 PRACTICAL  APPLICATION  OF SUCH LESSONS AND THE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM
 IMPACT ON THE STUDENT'S LIFE AND ON THE LIVES OF OTHERS OF  IMPLEMENTING
 THE LESSONS.
   2.  THE  BOARDS  OF  EDUCATION  AND  TRUSTEES OF THE CITIES AND SCHOOL
 DISTRICTS OF THE STATE SHALL REQUIRE INSTRUCTION TO  BE  GIVEN  IN  SUCH
 MATTERS  FOR  A  MINIMUM  PERIOD  OF TWO HOURS PER WEEK, BY THE TEACHERS
 EMPLOYED IN THE SCHOOLS THEREIN, COMMENCING WITH THE TWO THOUSAND  TWEN-
 TY-THREE--TWO  THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR SCHOOL YEAR. ALL PUPILS OVER THE AGE
 OF FIVE YEARS WHO ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHALL RECEIVE SUCH INSTRUCTION.
   3. Such component shall include instruction of safe,  responsible  use
 of  the internet and electronic communications. The regents shall deter-
 mine how to incorporate such component in  existing  curricula  and  the
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04941-01-3

 A. 2091                             2
 
 commissioner  shall  promulgate any regulations needed to carry out such
 determination of the regents. For the purposes of this section,  "toler-
 ance,"  "respect  for  others" and "dignity" shall include awareness and
 sensitivity  to harassment, bullying, discrimination and civility in the
 relations of people  of  different  races,  weights,  national  origins,
 ethnic groups, religions, religious practices, mental or physical abili-
 ties, sexual orientations, genders, and sexes.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.