Assembly Bill A8974

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8974
 
                        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 Jewish 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  Jewish  Heritage
 Education Equity Act".
   §  2.  (a) The commissioner of education is authorized and directed to
 conduct a survey regarding instruction on  Jewish  heritage  within  the
 state. Such survey shall focus on identifying the extent to which school
 districts  provide  instruction  on  Jewish  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 Jewish heritage history;
   (2) which grade levels are being taught about Jewish heritage history;
   (3) how much instructional time is devoted to Jewish heritage 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
 Jewish heritage history into the curriculum;
   (6)  do  educators  receive  any  training or professional development
 regarding Jewish heritage history; and
   (7) are there assessments or evaluations  to  measure  student  under-
 standing of Jewish heritage history.
   (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-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13545-01-5
              

 A. 8974                             2
 
 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. JEWISH HERITAGE HISTORY ADVISORY COMMITTEE; APPOINTMENT; POWERS
 AND  DUTIES. 1. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A JEWISH HERITAGE ADVI-
 SORY 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 JEWISH
 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 JEWISH
 HERITAGE HISTORY; AND
   (B)  STRATEGIES  FOR STRENGTHENING AND DEEPENING PUBLIC K-12 EDUCATION
 PROGRAMS IN THE AREAS OF JEWISH 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.