Assembly Bill A9298

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9298
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             December 10, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. COLTON -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Education
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to instruction in civic
   education
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 the "next-gen civics act".
   § 2. The education law is amended by adding a  new  section  801-b  to
 read as follows:
   §  801-B.  INSTRUCTION  IN CIVIC EDUCATION. 1. COMMENCING WITH THE TWO
 THOUSAND  TWENTY-SEVEN--TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-EIGHT  SCHOOL  YEAR,   THE
 COMMISSIONER  SHALL  ESTABLISH A FULL SEMESTER CURRICULUM, SEPARATE FROM
 STANDARD HISTORY CLASSES, FOR INSTRUCTION  IN  CIVIC  EDUCATION  IN  ALL
 SCHOOLS PROVIDING INSTRUCTION TO STUDENTS IN GRADES NINE THROUGH TWELVE.
   2. SUCH CURRICULUM SHALL FURTHER INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) HOW BILLS ARE PASSED;
   (B) HOW ELECTIONS ARE RUN;
   (C)  THE  CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  INCLUDING THE BILL OF
 RIGHTS, THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, AND  THE  STRUCTURE  AND  SEPA-
 RATION OF POWERS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT;
   (D) LOCAL AND STATE HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT;
   (E) THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS TO ACCESS, ANALYZE, AND EVALUATE DIGITAL
 MEDIA  AS  IT  RELATES  TO OUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF MEDIA
 LITERACY SKILLS;
   (F)  THE  HISTORY  OF  VOTER  REGISTRATION  AND  WHAT  MOTIVATES   AND
 SUPPRESSES VOTER PARTICIPATION;
   (G)  OPPORTUNITIES  TO  DEVELOP DEBATE AND ANALYSIS SKILLS SURROUNDING
 CIVIC ISSUES; AND
   (H) OPPORTUNITIES THAT ENCOURAGE VOTER PARTICIPATION.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14113-01-5
 A. 9298                             2
              

 
   3. SUCH INSTRUCTION SHALL FURTHER INCLUDE, BUT SHALL  NOT  BE  LIMITED
 TO,  A HANDS-ON, PROJECT-BASED CURRICULUM WHERE STUDENTS APPLY WHAT THEY
 LEARN THROUGH ACTIVITIES THAT INCLUDE, BUT  ARE  NOT  LIMITED  TO,  MOCK
 ELECTIONS,  COMMUNITY PROJECTS, AND POLICY SIMULATIONS. THERE SHALL BE A
 PROVISION INCLUDED THAT ENCOURAGES AND EDUCATES STUDENTS OF VOTER REGIS-
 TRATION AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
   4.  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS OUTLINING
 THE TRAINING OF TEACHERS  PROVIDING  SUCH  CIVIC  EDUCATION  INSTRUCTION
 OUTLINED  IN SUBDIVISIONS TWO AND THREE OF THIS SECTION AND MATERIALS TO
 BE PROVIDED FOR SUCH INSTRUCTION. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OR TRUSTEES  OF
 EVERY  SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL PROVIDE APPROPRIATE TRAINING AND CURRICULUM
 MATERIALS, AS PROMULGATED BY THE COMMISSIONER, TO SUCH TEACHERS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect  immediately.  Effective  immediately,
 the  addition,  amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
 sary for the implementation of  this  act  on  its  effective  date  are
 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.