STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6031 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY March 4, 2021 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. TAYLOR -- read once and referred to the Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development AN ACT to amend the arts and cultural affairs law, in relation to the Amistad Commission The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 57.52 of the arts and cultural affairs law, as 2 added by chapter 404 of the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows: 3 § 57.52. Amistad commission; established. 1. The Amistad commission 4 (commission), so named in honor of the group of enslaved Africans led by 5 Joseph Cinque who, while being transported in eighteen hundred thirty- 6 nine on a vessel named the Amistad, gained their freedom after over- 7 throwing the crew and eventually having their case successfully argued 8 before the United States Supreme Court, is hereby created and estab- 9 lished. The commission shall consist of nineteen members, including the 10 [~~secretary of state~~] commissioner of education or his or her designee, 11 the [~~commissioner of education~~] secretary of state or his or her desig- 12 nee, and the chancellor of the state university of New York or his or 13 her designee, serving ex officio, and sixteen public members. Public 14 members shall be appointed as follows: four public members, no more 15 than two of whom shall be of the same political party, shall be 16 appointed by the temporary president of the senate; four public members, 17 no more than two of whom shall be of the same political party, shall be 18 appointed by the speaker of the assembly; and eight public members, no 19 more than four of whom shall be of the same political party, shall be 20 appointed by the governor. The appointed members shall be chosen with 21 due regard to broad ethnic diversity and shall have a demonstrated 22 educational background in the history of the African slave trade and 23 slavery in America or the contributions of African-Americans to our 24 society. The public members shall be residents of the state, chosen with 25 due regard to broad geographic representation and ethnic diversity, who EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD02298-01-1

A. 6031 2 1 have an interest in the history of the African slave trade and slavery 2 in America and the contributions of African-Americans to our society. 3 1-a. Any business or other matter undertaken or commenced by the 4 department of state or the secretary of state pertaining to or connected 5 with the functions, powers, obligations and duties of the commission 6 established pursuant to subdivision one of this section are hereby 7 transferred and assigned to the commissioner of education or the depart- 8 ment of education and pending on the effective date of this subdivision, 9 may be conducted and completed by such commissioner or such department 10 in the same manner and under the same terms and conditions and with the 11 same effect as if conducted and completed by the department of state or 12 the secretary of state. 13 2. Each public member of the commission shall serve for a term of 14 three years, except that of the initial members so appointed: one member 15 appointed by the temporary president of the senate, one member appointed 16 by the speaker of the assembly, and two members appointed by the gover- 17 nor shall serve for terms of one year; one member appointed by the 18 temporary president of the senate, one member appointed by the speaker 19 of the assembly, and three members appointed by the governor shall serve 20 for terms of two years; and two members appointed by the temporary pres- 21 ident of the senate, two members appointed by the speaker of the assem- 22 bly, and three members appointed by the governor shall serve for terms 23 of three years. Public members shall be eligible for reappointment. They 24 shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified, and the 25 term of the successor of any incumbent shall be calculated from the 26 expiration of the term of that incumbent. A vacancy occurring other than 27 by expiration of term shall be filled within forty-five days in the same 28 manner as the original appointment but for the unexpired term only. If 29 such vacancy is not filled within forty five days, the vacancy shall be 30 filled within thirty days by the commissioner of education but for the 31 unexpired term only. 32 3. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation but 33 shall be entitled to reimbursement for all necessary expenses incurred 34 in the performance of their duties. 35 4. The [~~secretary of state~~] commissioner of education, or his or her 36 designee, shall serve as the chair and the [~~commissioner of education~~] 37 secretary of state, or his or her designee, shall serve as the vice- 38 chair of the commission. The presence of a majority of the authorized 39 membership of the commission shall be required for the conduct of offi- 40 cial business. 41 5. The department of education shall provide technical assistance and 42 data to the commission as may be necessary for the commission to carry 43 out its responsibilities pursuant to this article. The commissioner of 44 education or his or her designee shall be responsible for hiring the 45 staff of the commission and shall serve as the liason between the 46 commission and the department of education. The commissioner of educa- 47 tion may designate employees of the department of education to provide 48 support and services to the commission as are reasonably necessary. 49 § 2. Subdivisions 2 and 3 of section 57.53 of the arts and cultural 50 affairs law, as added by chapter 404 of the laws of 2005, are amended to 51 read as follows: 52 2. to compile a roster of individual volunteers who are willing to 53 share their knowledge and experience in classrooms, seminars and work- 54 shops with students and teachers on the subject of the African slave 55 trade, American slavery and the impact of slavery on our society today, 56 and the contributions of African-Americans to our country; [~~and~~]

A. 6031 3 1 3. to increase awareness and encourage school districts to utilize 2 curricula on African-American history by: 3 (a) establishing and administering a program to publicly recognize 4 schools that do an outstanding job teaching subjects related to the 5 African-American experience through a designation of special status or 6 other award as determined by the commission; and 7 (b) offering grants to individual teachers who demonstrate exemplary 8 practices teaching subjects related to the African-American experience, 9 as determined by the commission, and the commission shall catalog and 10 publicize such practices for use by other teachers; and 11 4. to prepare reports for the governor and the legislature regarding 12 its findings and recommendations on facilitating the inclusion of the 13 African slave trade, American slavery studies, African-American history 14 and special programs in the educational system of the state. 15 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

Relates to the Amistad Commission

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