This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives.
STORAGE NAME: h0287d.EEC
DATE: 3/29/2023
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: HB 287 Required Instruction in the History of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
SPONSOR(S): Plasencia, Trabulsy and others
TIED BILLS: None. IDEN./SIM. BILLS: SB 294
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
1) Education Quality Subcommittee 18 Y, 0 N Suppiah Sanchez
2) PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee 14 Y, 0 N Bailey Potvin
3) Education & Employment Committee Suppiah Hassell
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
Chapter 1003.42, Florida Statutes, 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 an insignificant negative fiscal
impact to school districts. See Fiscal Comments, infra.
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DATE: 3/29/2023
FULL ANALYSIS
I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
Present Situation
Required Instruction Topics
Among others topics, Florida law requires school districts to teach students certain topics relating to
specific populations and their experiences, 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 both the arrival of the
first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843, and 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! and
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.
1
Section 1003.42(2), F.S.
2
Section 1003.42(2)(g)1., F.S.
3
Section 1003.42(2)(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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Fashion: Chinese American fashion designer Vera Wang “arguably become the most famous
luxury designer in the bridal market.”
10
Asian American and Pacific Islander History Education in Other States
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.
11
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.
12
In 2022, New Jersey became the second state to require school districts to provide kindergarten
through grade 12 instruction on the history and contributions of AAPIs as part of implementation of the
New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies.
13
Effect 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 Asian American and Pacific Islanders, including
immigration, citizenship, civil rights, identity, history, as well as their contributions to American society,
which shall also 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.
14
Therefore, the required instruction may not be included in the instructional materials
adopted by the state. However, student instruction will not be delayed.
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.
II. FISCAL ANALYSIS & ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT
A. FISCAL IMPACT ON STATE GOVERNMENT:
1. Revenues:
10
Harper’s Bazaar, How Vera Wang changed the way brides dressed forever, (Sept. 15, 2021)
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/bazaar-brides/a37596791/vera-wang-bride-interview/ (last visited Mar. 19, 2023).
11
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).
12
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.
13
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).
14
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.
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DATE: 3/29/2023
None.
2. Expenditures:
See Fiscal Comments.
B. FISCAL IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
1. Revenues:
None.
2. Expenditures:
See Fiscal Comments..
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 an insignificant negative fiscal impact to include 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
None.