Bill > A05468

This bill moves the Amistad Commission from the Department of State to the State Education Department, making several key changes to its organizational structure and responsibilities. The Amistad Commission, named after a group of enslaved Africans who gained their freedom in 1839 after a landmark Supreme Court case, will now have the Commissioner of Education as its chair instead of the Secretary of State. The bill modifies the commission's composition, maintaining its 19-member structure with 16 public members appointed by the Senate President, Assembly Speaker, and Governor, while ensuring ethnic diversity and expertise in African American history. The commission's core responsibilities remain focused on promoting education about the African slave trade, American slavery, and African American contributions to society, but now adds new provisions like establishing a program to recognize schools with outstanding African American history curricula and offering grants to teachers who demonstrate exemplary teaching practices in this area. The bill also provides a mechanism for transferring existing work and responsibilities from the Department of State to the Department of Education, ensuring continuity of the commission's mission during this organizational transition.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A5468