S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8971
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              August 13, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. DURSO -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a commit-
   tee to conduct a survey of instruction on  Italian  American  heritage
   and  issue  a  report  on such survey; and providing for the repeal of
   such provisions upon expiration thereof

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  This act shall be known as the "New York Italian American
 Heritage Education Equity Act".
   § 2. (a) The commissioner of education is authorized and  directed  to
 conduct  a  survey  regarding  instruction  on Italian American heritage
 within the state. Such survey shall focus on identifying the  extent  to
 which school districts provide instruction on Italian American heritage.
 Such  survey shall include as appropriate, questions on how the district
 is providing such  instruction,  including,  but  not  limited  to,  the
 following:
   (1)   how  the  department's  learning  standards  inform  the  school
 district's teaching of Italian American heritage history;
   (2) which grade levels are being taught about Italian American  herit-
 age history;
   (3)  how much instructional time is devoted to Italian American herit-
 age history;
   (4) what are the school district's social studies curricula  that  are
 used in the district, and who publishes curricula;
   (5) what challenges and/or barriers do districts face in incorporating
 Italian American heritage history into the curriculum;
   (6)  do  educators  receive  any  training or professional development
 regarding Italian American heritage history; and
   (7) are there assessments or evaluations  to  measure  student  under-
 standing of Italian American heritage history.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13581-01-5
              

 A. 8971                             2
 
   (b)  Findings  shall  include  detailed  results of the survey, and if
 needed, recommendations to implement or strengthen such  instruction.  A
 report  of  the findings of such survey shall be delivered to the gover-
 nor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly,
 the  minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assem-
 bly the first of January following the effective date of this act or one
 hundred twenty days after the effective date of this act,  whichever  is
 later.
   §  3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 805 to read
 as follows:
   § 805. ITALIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE HISTORY ADVISORY COMMITTEE;  APPOINT-
 MENT;  POWERS AND DUTIES. 1. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH AN ITALIAN
 AMERICAN HERITAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
   2. (A) THE COMMITTEE  SHALL  BE  COMPRISED  OF  FOUR  MEMBERS,  TO  BE
 APPOINTED AS FOLLOWS:
   I. ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR;
   II. ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE;
   III. ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY; AND
   IV. ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
   (B) ALL MEMBERS APPOINTED TO THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE EXPERTS IN ITALIAN
 AMERICAN  HERITAGE  AND/OR  HAVE A BACKGROUND IN EDUCATIONAL INSTRUCTION
 AND/OR EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION.
   (C) ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE APPOINTED WITHIN NINETY DAYS
 OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
   3. VACANCIES IN THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE FILLED IN THE
 SAME MANNER PROVIDED FOR ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS.
   4. THE COMMITTEE SHALL MEET NO LESS THAN FOUR TIMES PER YEAR.
   5. THE COMMITTEE SHALL PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE FOLLOWING:
   (A) HIGH-QUALITY K-12 CURRICULAR AND INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES ON ITALI-
 AN AMERICAN HERITAGE HISTORY; AND
   (B) STRATEGIES FOR STRENGTHENING AND DEEPENING PUBLIC  K-12  EDUCATION
 PROGRAMS  IN  THE  AREAS OF ITALIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE HISTORY, INCLUDING
 ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEY REFERENCED IN SECTION TWO OF THE CHAPTER  OF  THE
 LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE THAT ADDED THIS SECTION.
   6. THE COMMITTEE SHALL SUBMIT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COMMISSION-
 ER  NO LATER THAN TWO YEARS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION AND
 BE DISBANDED THEREAFTER.
   7. COMMITTEE MEMBERS SHALL RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR THEIR SERVICES,
 BUT SHALL BE ALLOWED THEIR ACTUAL AND NECESSARY EXPENSES INCURRED IN THE
 PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.
   8. TO EFFECTUATE THE PURPOSES  OF  THIS  SECTION,  THE  COMMITTEE  MAY
 REQUEST  FROM  ANY DEPARTMENT, BOARD, BUREAU, COMMISSION OR OTHER AGENCY
 OF THE STATE, AND THE SAME ARE AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE,  SUCH  COOPERATION
 AND  ASSISTANCE, SERVICES AND DATA AS WILL ENABLE THE COMMITTEE TO PROP-
 ERLY CARRY OUT ITS FUNCTIONS PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
 deemed repealed 3 years after such date.