2021 -- H 5650

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LC001485

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE

EDUCATION COMMISSION

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Kislak, Kazarian, Blazejewski, Biah, Williams, Henries,
Knight, Ackerman, Ranglin-Vassell, and Ajello

     Date Introduced: February 23, 2021

     Referred To: House Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Legislative Findings.

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     The general assembly finds and declares that:

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     (1) In 2000, the Rhode Island general assembly passed, and the governor signed into law,

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00 H 7397 "Genocide and human rights education," requiring the Rhode Island department of

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education to "develop curricular material on genocide and human rights issues and guidelines for

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the teaching of that material”.

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     (2) In 2011, the state of Rhode Island passed into law "Genocide Education in Secondary

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Schools" (P.L. 2011, ch. 45, § 1; P.L. 2011, ch. 70, § 1) which emphasized a need to adhere to

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making genocide curriculum materials available including, but not limited to, the Holocaust,

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Armenia, Cambodia, and Darfur.

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      (3) In 2016, the Rhode Island general assembly passed, and the governor signed into law,

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16 H 7488 SUBSTITUTE A and 16 S 2396 SUBSTITUTE A to require that the Holocaust and

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genocide be taught in public middle and high schools.

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     (4) Throughout the years, the general assembly has consistently passed resolutions

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condemning the Holocaust and genocides. Since the passage of the legislation into law, to require

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Holocaust and genocide education in its schools, the general assembly has recognized its

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importance by honoring its passage with continued resolutions of its observance.

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     (5) The governor, legislators, and community leaders have always made it a priority to

 

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attend and participate in Holocaust and genocide memorial and other related events to emphasize

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the continued need to recognize the horrible tragedies and atrocities committed to ancestors of the

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Rhode Island state community members.

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     SECTION 2. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by

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adding thereto the following chapter:

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CHAPTER 93.1

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THE RHODE ISLAND HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE EDUCATION COMMISSION [SEE

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TITLE 16 CHAPTER 97 - THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT]

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     16-93.1-1. Short title.

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     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "The Rhode Island Holocaust and

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Genocide Education Commission".

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     16-93.1-2. Definitions.

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     As used in this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings

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unless the context shall clearly indicate another or different meaning or intent:

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     (1) "Genocide" means any act committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in substantial

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part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group such as:

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     (i) Killing members of that group;

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     (ii) Causing serious bodily injury to members of that group;

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     (iii) Causing permanent impairment of the mental faculties of members of the group

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through drugs, torture or similar techniques;

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     (iv) Subjecting the group to conditions of life that are intended to cause the physical

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destruction of the group in whole or in part;

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     (v) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; or

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     (vi) Forcibly transferring or attempting to transfer children of the group to another group,

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as defined by the Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987 (18 USC 1091).

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     (2) "Holocaust" means the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and

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murder of approximately six million (6,000,000) Jews and five million (5,000,000) other

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individuals by the Nazi regime and its collaborators.

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     16-93.1-3. Holocaust and genocide education commission.

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     (a) There is hereby created a permanent commission to be known as the Rhode Island

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Holocaust and genocide education commission to consist of fifteen (15) members; two (2) of whom

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shall be from the house of representatives, with one member from each political party, to be

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appointed by the governor after consultation with the speaker of the house; two (2) of whom shall

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be from the senate, with one member from each political party, to be appointed by the governor

 

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after consultation with the senate president; eight (8) of whom shall be appointed by the governor

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to serve a term of three (3) years, at least three (3) of whom shall be involved in Holocaust and

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genocide education or have a personal connection or experience with the Holocaust or genocide; at

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least three (3) of whom shall have expertise in investigating, analyzing, or researching the

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Holocaust or genocide; three (3) nonvoting ex officio members, comprised of any combination of

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the following individuals, to serve until the ex officio member ceases to hold the applicable position

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as follows:

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     (1) A superintendent of schools duly certified pursuant to §16-2-10 and employed in any

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city or town;

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     (2) The Rhode Island postsecondary commissioner;

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     (3) A member of the Rhode Island Association of School Principals;

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     (4) A member of the Rhode Island Association of School Principals.

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     (b)(i) Appointed representatives may delegate to a responsible person knowledgeable in

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the Holocaust and genocide education to attend meetings and vote in place of the representative.

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The designee will be responsible for keeping the representative informed of details of the meetings

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and other commission details.

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     (ii) Appointed senators may delegate to a responsible person knowledgeable in the

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Holocaust and genocide education to attend meetings and vote in place of the senator. The designee

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will be responsible for keeping the senator informed of details of the meetings and other

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commission details.

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     (iii) Ex officio members may appoint a responsible individual from their organization to

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attend meetings. The designee will be responsible for keeping the ex officio member informed of

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details of the meetings and other commission details.

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     (c) A member of the commission may be removed by the governor for inefficiency, neglect

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of duty, misconduct, or malfeasance in office, after being given a written statement of the charges

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and an opportunity to be publicly heard on such charges by the general assembly.

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     (d) Vacancies in the commission shall be filled in the manner provided under subsection

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(a) of this section. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the

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term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of that

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term. Any appointed member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration of that member's

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term until the member's successor takes office or until a period of sixty (60) days has elapsed,

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whichever occurs first.

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     16-93.1-4. Meetings and by-laws.

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     (a) The commission shall meet at least six (6) times during a calendar year.

 

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     (b) At the first meeting, the commission shall elect a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and

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other officers from the voting members.

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     (c) The commission shall adopt by-laws governing the commission.

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     16-93.1-5. Quorum.

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     A quorum at the meeting shall consist of eight (8) voting members present. No action of

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the commission shall be taken without the affirmative vote of eight (8) voting members.

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     16-93.1-6. Expenses.

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     Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for

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expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

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     16-93.1-7. Duties and responsibilities of the commission.

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     The commission shall:

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     (1) Gather and disseminate Holocaust and genocide information throughout this state;

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     (2) Take inventory of current statewide Holocaust and genocide memorial and education

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programs and initiatives, and partner with the department of elementary and secondary education

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to prepare a comprehensive educational program to fill program and initiative gaps;

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     (3) Promote public awareness of issues relating to the Holocaust and genocide education

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through public education programs;

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     (4) Advise and educate the governor, general assembly, and state departments and agencies

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regarding the nature, magnitude and priorities of Holocaust and genocide memorial education, and

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develop policies and programs to address those needs;

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     (5) Seek opportunities to provide resources for schools to effectively teach about the

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Holocaust and genocide;

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     (6) Review and approve grants that are administered or subcontracted by the commission;

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and

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     (7) Submit a written annual report of the commission's activities, accomplishments, and

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recommendations to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of

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representatives, and the representatives and senators appointed pursuant to §16-93.1-3.

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     16-93.1-8. Holocaust and genocide memorial and education office.

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     (a) There is hereby created the Holocaust and genocide memorial and education office to

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serve the commission.

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     (b) The director of the Holocaust and genocide memorial and education office shall be

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appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the commission. The director shall, with the

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commission's approval, appoint employees as necessary to carry out the duties of the office. The

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employees shall serve at the director's pleasure.

 

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     16-93.1-9. Duties and responsibilities of the office.

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     The Holocaust and genocide memorial and education office shall do the following:

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     (1) Advise and provide information to the commission on statewide programs and new

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opportunities to further Holocaust and genocide memorial and education;

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     (2) Serve as a clearinghouse to review, comment on, and propose initiatives submitted to

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the office that meet Holocaust and genocide memorial and education needs;

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     (3) Apply for and accept grants and gifts from public and private sources to be administered

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by the office or subcontracted to local public or nonprofit agencies that shall use the grants and

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gifts for the purpose intended;

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     (4) Monitor and evaluate all programs subcontracted to local public or nonprofit agencies

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and ensure that any grants or gifts are being used for the purpose intended;

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     (5) Endeavor to ensure that Holocaust and genocide survivors, liberators, educators, and

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others involved in Holocaust and genocide education and memorial have access to decision-making

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bodies in local, state, national, and international departments, agencies, and genocide education and

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memorial organizations;

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     (6)(i) Establish advisory committees for special subjects, as needed, to facilitate and

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maximize community participation and subject matter expertise in the operation of the commission;

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     (ii) Advisory committees shall be comprised of members representing community

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organizations, charitable institutions, elementary and secondary schools, higher education

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institutions, faith-based organizations, public officials, and other persons as determined by the

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office;

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     (7) Establish relationships with local and state governments, federal officials, nonprofit

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organizations, and the private sector to promote and ensure the highest standards of Holocaust and

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genocide memorial and education; and

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     (8) Prepare a written annual report of the commission's activities, accomplishments, and

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recommendations to the commission for the commission’s submittal to the governor, the president

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of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the representatives and senators

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appointed pursuant to §16-93.1-3.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE

EDUCATION COMMISSION

***

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     This act would create the Holocaust and genocide education commission to:

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     (1) Gather and disseminate Holocaust and genocide information;

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     (2) Review current statewide Holocaust and genocide memorial and education programs

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and initiatives, and partner with the state department of elementary and secondary education to

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prepare a program;

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     (3) Promote public awareness of issues relating to Holocaust and genocide education;

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     (4) Advise and educate the governor, general assembly, and state departments and agencies

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regarding the nature, magnitude and priorities of Holocaust and genocide memorial education, and

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develop policies and programs to address those needs; and

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     (5) Seek opportunities to provide resources for schools to effectively teach about the

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Holocaust and genocide.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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