NY State Senate Bill 2025-S6605

Senate Bill S6605

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Requires the state university of New York and the city university of New York to establish courses of study on ethnic studies, women's studies, and social justice

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Higher Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 18, 2025	referred to higher education

2025-S6605 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Higher Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §§208-b & 6204-b, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S8867
2021-2022: S663
2023-2024: S1452

2025-S6605 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the state university of New York and the city university of New York to establish courses of study on ethnic studies, women's studies, and social justice; requires students to complete at least one three-credit course on ethnic studies, women's studies, or social justice to graduate with a baccalaureate degree.

2025-S6605 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6605

SPONSOR: SANDERS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring regulations
directing the state university of New York and the city university of
New York to establish courses of study on ethnic studies, women's
studies, and social justice

 
PURPOSE:

This bill requires regulations directing the state university of New
York and the city university of New York to establish courses of study
on ethnic studies, women's studies or social justice; and requires
students to complete at least one three-credit course on ethnic studies,
women's studies, or social justice to graduate with a baccalaureate
degree.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends the education law to authorize and direct the commis-

sioner and the board of regents of SUNY to establish rules and/or regu-
lations requiring each institution of higher learning in New York state
to provide for courses in ethnic studies, women's studies or social
justice in each of its campuses and requiring, as an undergraduate grad-
uation requirement, completion of, at a minimum, one three-credit course
in ethnic studies, women's studies or social justice.

Section 2 amends the education law to authorize and direct CUNY to
establish rules and/or regulations requiring each institution of higher
learning in New York state to provide for courses in ethnic studies,
women's studies or social justice in each of its campuses and requiring,
as an undergraduate graduation requirement, completion of, at a minimum,
one three-credit course in ethnic studies, women's studies or social
justice.

Section 3 establishes an effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Racism is a major problem in New York and America. The murder of George
Floyd, the disparities of COVID-19 deaths based on race, economic
inequalities and other issues highlight the problems caused by racism.
Modelled on California legislation that became law in 2020, this bill
would require regulations directing the state university of New York and
the city university of New York to establish courses of study on ethnic
studies, women's studies or social justice; and requires students to
complete at least one three-credit course on ethnic studies, women's
studies, or social justice to graduate with a baccalaureate degree for
the purpose of increasing understanding of the impact of prejudice.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-22 REFERRED TO SENATE HIGHER EDUCATION

2021-22 referred to assembly higher education

2020 REFERRED TO SENATE RULES
2020 referred to assembly higher education

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2025-S6605 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6605
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 18, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring  regulations
   directing  the state university of New York and the city university of
   New York to establish courses of  study  on  ethnic  studies,  women's
   studies, and social justice
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section  208-b
 to read as follows:
   §  208-B.  COURSES  ON  ETHNIC  STUDIES,  WOMEN'S  STUDIES, AND SOCIAL
 JUSTICE.  1. THE COMMISSIONER AND THE BOARD OF  REGENTS  ARE  AUTHORIZED
 AND DIRECTED TO ESTABLISH RULES AND/OR REGULATIONS REQUIRING EACH INSTI-
 TUTION  OF  HIGHER  LEARNING IN NEW YORK STATE TO PROVIDE FOR COURSES IN
 ETHNIC STUDIES, WOMEN'S STUDIES, AND  SOCIAL  JUSTICE  IN  EACH  OF  ITS
 CAMPUSES  AND  REQUIRING,  AS  AN  UNDERGRADUATE GRADUATION REQUIREMENT,
 COMPLETION OF, AT A MINIMUM, ONE THREE-CREDIT COURSE IN ETHNIC  STUDIES,
 WOMEN'S STUDIES, OR SOCIAL JUSTICE.  SUCH REQUIREMENT SHALL NOT INCREASE
 THE  NUMBER  OF  UNITS  REQUIRED TO GRADUATE FROM THE INSTITUTION WITH A
 BACCALAUREATE DEGREE.  SUCH GRADUATION REQUIREMENT SHALL NOT APPLY TO  A
 POSTBACCALAUREATE  STUDENT  WHO  IS  ENROLLED  IN A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE
 PROGRAM AT AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING IF THE STUDENT  HAS  SATIS-
 FIED EITHER OF THE FOLLOWING:
   (A)  THE STUDENT HAS EARNED A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE FROM AN INSTITUTION
 ACCREDITED BY A REGIONAL ACCREDITING AGENCY.
   (B) THE STUDENT HAS COMPLETED AN ETHNIC STUDIES, WOMEN'S  STUDIES,  OR
 SOCIAL JUSTICE COURSE AT A POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION ACCRED-
 ITED BY A REGIONAL ACCREDITING AGENCY.
   2.  THE  COMMISSIONER  AND  THE  BOARD  OF  REGENTS ARE AUTHORIZED AND
 DIRECTED TO DEVELOP CORE COMPETENCIES TO BE  ACHIEVED  BY  STUDENTS  WHO
 COMPLETE  AN  ETHNIC  STUDIES, WOMEN'S STUDIES, OR SOCIAL JUSTICE COURSE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05953-01-5

 S. 6605                             2
 
 PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF  THIS  SECTION.  SUCH  CORE  COMPETENCIES
 SHALL  BE  INTENDED  TO  ENSURE  THAT STUDENTS OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
 LEARNING IN NEW YORK ACQUIRE THE KNOWLEDGE AND  SKILLS  THAT  WILL  HELP
 THEM  COMPREHEND  THE DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE HISTORY OF THE UNITED
 STATES AND OF THE SOCIETY IN WHICH THEY LIVE TO ENABLE SUCH STUDENTS  TO
 CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY AS RESPONSIBLE AND CONSTRUCTIVE CITIZENS.
   3.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "ETHNIC STUDIES" SHALL MEAN AN
 INTERDISCIPLINARY AND COMPARATIVE  STUDY  OF  RACE  AND  ETHNICITY  WITH
 SPECIAL  FOCUS  ON  FOUR  HISTORICALLY  DEFINED  RACIALIZED CORE GROUPS:
 NATIVE AMERICANS, AFRICAN AMERICANS, ASIAN  AMERICANS,  AND  LATINA  AND
 LATINO AMERICANS.
   §  2.  The  education law is amended by adding a new section 6204-b to
 read as follows:
   § 6204-B. COURSES ON  ETHNIC  STUDIES,  WOMEN'S  STUDIES,  AND  SOCIAL
 JUSTICE.  1. THE CITY UNIVERSITY IS AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO ESTABLISH
 RULES  AND/OR REGULATIONS REQUIRING EACH INSTITUTION OF THE CITY UNIVER-
 SITY TO PROVIDE FOR COURSES IN  ETHNIC  STUDIES,  WOMEN'S  STUDIES,  AND
 SOCIAL  JUSTICE IN EACH OF ITS CAMPUSES AND REQUIRING, AS AN UNDERGRADU-
 ATE GRADUATION REQUIREMENT, COMPLETION OF, AT A MINIMUM, ONE  THREE-CRE-
 DIT  COURSE IN ETHNIC STUDIES, WOMEN'S STUDIES, OR SOCIAL JUSTICE.  SUCH
 REQUIREMENT SHALL NOT INCREASE THE NUMBER OF UNITS REQUIRED TO  GRADUATE
 FROM  THE  CITY  UNIVERSITY WITH A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE. SUCH GRADUATION
 REQUIREMENT SHALL NOT  APPLY  TO  A  POSTBACCALAUREATE  STUDENT  WHO  IS
 ENROLLED IN A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE PROGRAM AT THE CITY UNIVERSITY IF THE
 STUDENT HAS SATISFIED EITHER OF THE FOLLOWING:
   (A)  THE STUDENT HAS EARNED A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE FROM AN INSTITUTION
 ACCREDITED BY A REGIONAL ACCREDITING AGENCY.
   (B) THE STUDENT HAS COMPLETED AN ETHNIC STUDIES, WOMEN'S  STUDIES,  OR
 SOCIAL JUSTICE COURSE AT A POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION ACCRED-
 ITED BY A REGIONAL ACCREDITING AGENCY.
   2.  THE  CITY  UNIVERSITY  IS  AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO DEVELOP CORE
 COMPETENCIES TO BE ACHIEVED BY STUDENTS WHO COMPLETE AN ETHNIC  STUDIES,
 WOMEN'S STUDIES, OR SOCIAL JUSTICE COURSE PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF
 THIS  SECTION.  SUCH  CORE COMPETENCIES SHALL BE INTENDED TO ENSURE THAT
 STUDENTS OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY ACQUIRE THE KNOWLEDGE  AND  SKILLS  THAT
 WILL  HELP  THEM  COMPREHEND THE DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE HISTORY OF
 THE UNITED STATES AND OF THE SOCIETY IN WHICH THEY LIVE TO  ENABLE  SUCH
 STUDENTS  TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY AS RESPONSIBLE AND CONSTRUCTIVE CITI-
 ZENS.
   3. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "ETHNIC STUDIES"  SHALL  MEAN  AN
 INTERDISCIPLINARY  AND  COMPARATIVE  STUDY  OF  RACE  AND ETHNICITY WITH
 SPECIAL FOCUS ON  FOUR  HISTORICALLY  DEFINED  RACIALIZED  CORE  GROUPS:
 NATIVE  AMERICANS,  AFRICAN  AMERICANS,  ASIAN AMERICANS, AND LATINA AND
 LATINO AMERICANS.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

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