This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives.
STORAGE NAME: h0287.EQS
DATE: 3/13/2023
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: HB 287 Required Instruction in the History of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
SPONSOR(S): Plasencia and others
TIED BILLS: None. IDEN./SIM. BILLS: SB 294
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
1) Education Quality Subcommittee Suppiah Sanchez
2) PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee
3) Education & Employment Committee
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
Chapter 1003.42, F.S. outlines the required instructional topics for public education. Current topics include the
history of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights,
kindness to animals, the study of women’s and Hispanic contributions to the United States, the history of the
Holocaust, and the history of African Americans.
The bill adds the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, including the immigration, citizenship, civil
rights, identity, and culture of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and their contributions to American
society, to required instruction topics under 1003.42, F.S. Additionally, instructional materials must include the
contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to American society.
The bill has no impact on state revenues or expenditures. The bill may have a fiscal impact to school districts.
See fiscal comments, infra.
This bill has an effective date of July 1, 2023. STORAGE NAME: h0287.EQS PAGE: 2
DATE: 3/13/2023
FULL ANALYSIS
I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
Present Situation
Required Instruction Topics
Florida law requires school districts to teach students certain topics, including the study of women’s and
Hispanic contributions to the United States, the history of the Holocaust, and the history of African
Americans.
1
Instruction on the history of the Holocaust must be taught in a way that leads to an
understanding of the consequences of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping, and include both current
and historic examples of anti-Semitism.
2
Additionally, instruction on the history of African Americans
must include the history of Africans prior to development of slavery, the passage to America, the
experience of slaves, the abolition of slavery, and the contributions of African Americans to American
society.
3
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) make up almost eight percent of the United States
population and roughly four percent of Florida’s population.
4
They are the fastest-growing major racial
or ethnic group in the United States.
5
More than 22 million Asians live in the United States and almost
all trace their roots to specific countries or populations from East and Southeast Asia and the Indian
subcontinent.
6
Asian/Pacific American Heritage month is celebrated every May to commemorate the arrival of the first
Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental
railroad on May 10, 1869.
7
The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.
8
Contributions of the AAPI community to America’s rich heritage include:
9
Birthright Citizenship: After a year-long battle between Wong Kim Ark (born in San Francisco to
Chinese immigrants) and the U.S. Justice Department, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1898
that children born in America to foreigners were U.S. citizens.
Technology: Taiwanese American Jerry Yang co-founded the web portal Yahoo! Taiwanese
American Steven Chen co-founded the video-sharing platform, YouTube.
Architecture: Chinese American I.M. Pei designed the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in
Cleveland, Ohio and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Japanese American Minoru
designed the original World Trade Center.
Fashion: Chinese American fashion designer Vera Wang is best known for her bridal wear.
Asian American and Pacific Islander History Education in Other States
1
Section 1003.42(2), F.S.
2
Section 1003.42(g)1., F.S.
3
Section 1003.42(h), F.S.
4
United States Census Bureau, Race and Ethnicity in the United States: 2010 Census and 2020 Census,
https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/race-and-ethnicity-in-the-united-state-2010-and-2020-census.html (last
visited February 20, 2023).
5
Pew Research Center, Key facts about Asian origin groups in the U.S., https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/29/key-facts-
about-asian-origin-groups-in-the-u-s/ (last visited February 20, 2023).
6
Id.
7
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, About Asian/Pacific Heritage Month, https://asianpacificheritage.gov/about/ (last visited
February 20, 2023)
8
Id.
9
Food Safety and Inspection Service U.S. Department of Agriculture, ARCHIVE: Asian American and Pacific Islander Contributions
to our Nation’s History, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/employees/employee-news-stories/archives/archive-asian-american-and-pacific-
islander-contributions (last visited February 20, 2023).
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DATE: 3/13/2023
In July 2021, during increased anti-Asian violence during the coronavirus pandemic, Illinois became the
first state to require Asian American history be taught in public schools.
10
Beginning in the 2022-2023
school year, every public elementary and high school in Illinois is required to include a unit of
instruction on the history of Asian Americans, including their history in Illinois and the Midwest.
11
In 2022, New Jersey became the second state to require school districts to provide K-12 instruction on
the history and contributions of AAPIs as part of the implementation of New Jersey Student Learning
Standards in Social Studies.
12
Effects of Proposed Changes
The bill requires the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to be included in required
instruction. Topics taught must include the history of immigration, citizenship, civil rights, identity, and
history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, in addition to the contributions of Asian Americans
and Pacific Islanders to American society, which must be included in instructional materials.
Generally, the Department of Education adopts instructional materials for subject areas according to a
5-year rotating adoption schedule. The state adoption process for Social Studies is currently underway.
As a result, the bill’s proposed changes may not take effect until the next state adoption process for
Social Studies, five years from now (2028).
13
B. SECTION DIRECTORY:
Section 1. Amends s. 1003.42, F.S.; requiring the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
to be included in specified instruction;
Section 2. Amends s. 1006.148, F.S.; conforming cross-references to changes made by the act;
Section 3. Amends s. 1014.05, F.S.; conforming cross-references to changes made by the act;
Section 4 Provides an effective date of July 1, 2023.
II. FISCAL ANALYSIS & ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT
A. FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE GOVERNMENT:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
See fiscal comments.
10
EdWeek, Illinois Becomes First State to Require Teaching Asian American History in Public Schools,
https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/illinois-becomes-first-state-to-require-teaching-asian-american-history-in-public-
schools/2021/07 (last visited February 20, 2023).
11
105 ILL. COMP. ST AT. 5/27-20.8. Contributions of Asian Americans shall include those of Asian American individuals in
government, the arts, humanities, and sciences, in addition to contributions of Asian American communities to the economic, cultural,
social, and political development of the United States. To ensure compliance, the regional superintendent of schools monitors school
districts during annual compliance visits. Individual school boards determine the instructional time required to qualify as a unit for the
purposes of the required instruction.
12
Official Site of the State of New Jersey, Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Ensuring AAPI-Inclusive Curriculum is Taught in New
Jersey Schools, https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562022/20220118c.shtml, (last visited February 20, 2023).
13
Florida Department of Education, Florida Instructional Materials Adoption Schedule for Adoption Years 2021-2022 through 2025-
2026 (Jan. 24, 2022), available at http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/5574/urlt/AdoptionCycle.pdf .
STORAGE NAME: h0287.EQS PAGE: 4
DATE: 3/13/2023
B. FISCAL IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
None.
C. DIRECT ECONOMIC IMPACT ON PRIVATE SECTOR:
None.
D. FISCAL COMMENTS:
For those school districts that do not already provide instruction on the history of Asian Americans and
Pacific Islanders, there may be a cost associated with including this instruction in the required
curriculum.
III. COMMENTS
A. CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES:
1. Applicability of Municipality/County Mandates Provision:
None.
2. Other:
None.
B. RULE-MAKING AUTHORITY:
None.
C. DRAFTING ISSUES OR OTHER COMMENTS:
None.
IV. AMENDMENTS/COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE CHANGES
Not applicable.