BILL NUMBER: S5334
SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to allocating the Amistad
commission in the department of education, and repealing certain
provisions of the arts and cultural affairs law relating to the Amistad
commission
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Allocates the Amistad commission in the department of education, and
repeals certain provision of the arts and cultural affairs law relating
to the Amistad commission.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Removes Amistad Commission from cultural affairs law and places it in
education law.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In New York, the Amistad Commission is charged with surveying school
curricula to find out how much is included about "the African slave
trade and slavery in America" and to make recommendations for improve-
ment. Currently, schools are required to cover slavery, including the
Underground Railroad and the freedom trail. The State Education Depart-
ment should take the lead as they have the responsibility in examining
the findings of the commission's work and helping develop new curriculum
for districts throughout the state. This bill would remove the Amistad
commission from cultural affairs law and emplace it within the depart-
ment of education. This makes sense due to the nature of responsibil-
ities afforded to the commission and the need to make improvements as
necessary to educational institutions across New York.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2022: S9443
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that section
1305 of the education law, as added by section two of this act, and
subdivision 3-a of section 801 of the education law as added by section
three of this act shall take effect on July 2023.

Statutes affected:
S5334: 801 education law