Assembly Bill A8972

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8972
 
                        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 the history and civic impact
   of the September eleventh, two  thousand  one  terrorist  attacks  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 September Elev-
 enth, Two Thousand One Terrorist Attacks Education Equity Act".
   § 2. (a) The commissioner of education is authorized and  directed  to
 conduct  a  survey regarding instruction on the history and civic impact
 of the September eleventh, two thousand one terrorist attacks within the
 state. Such survey shall focus on identifying the extent to which school
 districts provide instruction on the history and  civic  impact  of  the
 September  eleventh,  two  thousand  one  terrorist attacks. 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  the  history and civic impact of the September
 eleventh, two thousand one terrorist attacks;
   (2) which grade levels are being taught about the  history  and  civic
 impact of the September eleventh, two thousand one terrorist attacks;
   (3)  how  much  instructional time is devoted to the history and civic
 impact of the September eleventh, two thousand one terrorist attacks;
   (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
 the history and civic impact of the September eleventh, two thousand one
 terrorist attacks into the curriculum;
   (6)  do  educators  receive  any  training or professional development
 regarding the history and civic impact of the  September  eleventh,  two
 thousand one terrorist attacks; and
 
              

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13582-01-5
 A. 8972                             2
 
   (7)  are  there  assessments  or evaluations to measure student under-
 standing of the history and civic impact of the September eleventh,  two
 thousand one terrorist attacks.
   (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.  THE  HISTORY  AND CIVIC IMPACT OF THE SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH, TWO
 THOUSAND ONE TERRORIST ATTACKS ADVISORY COMMITTEE;  APPOINTMENT;  POWERS
 AND  DUTIES.  1.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL ESTABLISH A HISTORY AND CIVIC
 IMPACT OF THE SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH, TWO  THOUSAND  ONE  TERRORIST  ATTACKS
 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  THE
 HISTORY  AND  CIVIC  IMPACT  OF THE SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH, TWO THOUSAND ONE
 TERRORIST ATTACKS 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 THE
 HISTORY AND CIVIC IMPACT OF THE SEPTEMBER  ELEVENTH,  TWO  THOUSAND  ONE
 TERRORIST ATTACKS; AND
   (B)  STRATEGIES  FOR STRENGTHENING AND DEEPENING PUBLIC K-12 EDUCATION
 PROGRAMS IN THE AREAS OF THE HISTORY AND CIVIC IMPACT OF  THE  SEPTEMBER
 ELEVENTH,  TWO THOUSAND ONE TERRORIST ATTACKS, INCLUDING ANALYSIS OF THE
 SURVEY REFERENCED IN SECTION TWO OF THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOU-
 SAND 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.