Bill > S03161

This bill moves the Amistad Commission, a 19-member body named after a historic slave ship rebellion, from the Department of State to the State Education Department. The commission, which focuses on promoting African-American history education, will now have the Commissioner of Education serve as its chair and the Secretary of State as vice-chair, reversing the previous leadership structure. The bill modifies the commission's composition by maintaining the same appointment process (with members appointed by the Senate President, Assembly Speaker, and Governor) while emphasizing the need for broad ethnic diversity and educational background in African-American history. The legislation also expands the commission's responsibilities to include establishing recognition programs for schools that excel in teaching African-American history, offering grants to exemplary teachers, and continuing to compile volunteer resources for classroom education about slavery and African-American contributions. Additionally, the bill provides a mechanism for transitioning ongoing commission-related work from the Department of State to the Department of Education, ensuring continuity of operations. The changes aim to more closely align the commission's work with educational objectives and increase awareness and teaching of African-American history in New York's schools.

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https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3161