STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5468 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY February 14, 2025 ___________ 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] their 11 designee, the [commissioner of education] secretary of state or [his or 12 her] their designee, and the chancellor of the state university of New 13 York or [his or her] their designee, serving ex officio, and sixteen 14 public members. Public members shall be appointed as follows: four 15 public members, no more than two of whom shall be of the same political 16 party, shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate; four 17 public members, no more than two of whom shall be of the same political 18 party, shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly; and eight 19 public members, no more than four of whom shall be of the same political 20 party, shall be appointed by the governor. The appointed members shall 21 be chosen with due regard to broad ethnic diversity and shall have a 22 demonstrated educational background in the history of the African slave 23 trade and slavery in America or the contributions of African-Americans 24 to our society. The public members shall be residents of the state, 25 chosen with due regard to broad geographic representation and ethnic EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD03275-02-5
A. 5468 2 1 diversity, who have an interest in the history of the African slave 2 trade and slavery in America and the contributions of African-Americans 3 to our society. 4 1-a. Any business or other matter undertaken or commenced by the 5 department of state or the secretary of state pertaining to or connected 6 with the functions, powers, obligations and duties of the commission 7 established pursuant to subdivision one of this section are hereby 8 transferred and assigned to the commissioner of education or the depart- 9 ment of education and pending on the effective date of this subdivision, 10 may be conducted and completed by such commissioner or such department 11 in the same manner and under the same terms and conditions and with the 12 same effect as if conducted and completed by the department of state or 13 the secretary of state. 14 2. Each public member of the commission shall serve for a term of 15 three years, except that of the initial members so appointed: one member 16 appointed by the temporary president of the senate, one member appointed 17 by the speaker of the assembly, and two members appointed by the gover- 18 nor shall serve for terms of one year; one member appointed by the 19 temporary president of the senate, one member appointed by the speaker 20 of the assembly, and three members appointed by the governor shall serve 21 for terms of two years; and two members appointed by the temporary pres- 22 ident of the senate, two members appointed by the speaker of the assem- 23 bly, and three members appointed by the governor shall serve for terms 24 of three years. Public members shall be eligible for reappointment. They 25 shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified, and the 26 term of the successor of any incumbent shall be calculated from the 27 expiration of the term of that incumbent. A vacancy occurring other than 28 by expiration of term shall be filled within forty-five days in the same 29 manner as the original appointment but for the unexpired term only. If 30 such vacancy is not filled within forty five days, the vacancy shall be 31 filled within thirty days by the commissioner of education but for the 32 unexpired term only. 33 3. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation but 34 shall be entitled to reimbursement for all necessary expenses incurred 35 in the performance of their duties. 36 4. The [secretary of state] commissioner of education, or [his or her] 37 their designee, shall serve as the chair and the [commissioner of educa- 38 tion] secretary of state, or [his or her] their designee, shall serve as 39 the vice-chair of the commission. The presence of a majority of the 40 authorized membership of the commission shall be required for the 41 conduct of official business. 42 5. The department of education shall provide technical assistance and 43 data to the commission as may be necessary for the commission to carry 44 out its responsibilities pursuant to this article. The commissioner of 45 education or their designee shall be responsible for hiring the staff of 46 the commission and shall serve as the liaison between the commission and 47 the department of education. The commissioner of education may designate 48 employees of the department of education to provide support and services 49 to the commission as are reasonably necessary. 50 § 2. Subdivisions 2 and 3 of section 57.53 of the arts and cultural 51 affairs law, as added by chapter 404 of the laws of 2005, are amended to 52 read as follows: 53 2. to compile a roster of individual volunteers who are willing to 54 share their knowledge and experience in classrooms, seminars and work- 55 shops with students and teachers on the subject of the African slave
A. 5468 3 1 trade, American slavery and the impact of slavery on our society today, 2 and the contributions of African-Americans to our country; [and] 3 3. to increase awareness and encourage school districts to utilize 4 curricula on African-American history by: 5 (a) establishing and administering a program to publicly recognize 6 schools that do an outstanding job teaching subjects related to the 7 African-American experience through a designation of special status or 8 other award as determined by the commission; and 9 (b) offering grants to individual teachers who demonstrate exemplary 10 practices teaching subjects related to the African-American experience, 11 as determined by the commission, and the commission shall catalog and 12 publicize such practices for use by other teachers; and 13 4. to prepare reports for the governor and the legislature regarding 14 its findings and recommendations on facilitating the inclusion of the 15 African slave trade, American slavery studies, African-American history 16 and special programs in the educational system of the state. 17 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.