| Chapter 275 |
| 2021 -- S 0840 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 07/09/2021 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE EDUCATION COMMISSION |
Introduced By: Senators Goldin, Miller, Gallo, Paolino, and Kallman |
| Date Introduced: April 23, 2021 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Legislative Findings. |
| The general assembly finds and declares that: |
| (1) In 2000, the Rhode Island general assembly passed, and the governor signed into law, |
| "Genocide and Human Rights Education," (Pub. L. P.L. 2000, ch. 511, § 1), requiring the Rhode |
| Island department of education to "develop curricular material on genocide and human rights issues |
| and guidelines for the teaching of that material”. |
| (2) In 2011, the State state of Rhode Island passed into law "Genocide Education in |
| Secondary Schools" (Pub. L. P.L. 2011, ch. 45, § 1; Pub. L. P.L. 2011, ch. 70, § 1) which |
| emphasized a need to adhere to making genocide curriculum materials available including, but not |
| limited to, the Holocaust, Armenia, Cambodia, and Darfur. |
| (3) In 2016, the Rhode Island general assembly passed, and the governor signed into law, |
| Pub. L. P.L. 2016, ch. 92, § 2 and Pub. L. P.L. 2016, ch. 104, § 2, to require that the Holocaust |
| and genocide be taught in public middle and high schools. |
| (4) Throughout the years, the general assembly has consistently passed resolutions |
| condemning the Holocaust and genocides. Since the passage of the legislation into law, to require |
| Holocaust and genocide education in its schools, the general assembly has recognized its |
| importance by honoring its passage with continued resolutions of its observance. |
| (5) The governor, legislators, and community leaders have always made it a priority to |
| attend and participate in Holocaust and genocide memorials and other related events to emphasize |
| the continued need to recognize the horrible tragedies and atrocities committed to ancestors of |
| Rhode Island state community members. |
| SECTION 2. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by |
| adding thereto the following chapter: |
| CHAPTER 93.1 |
| THE RHODE ISLAND HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE EDUCATION COMMISSION [SEE |
| TITLE 16 CHAPTER 97 - THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT] |
| 16-93.1-1. Short title. |
| This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "The Rhode Island Holocaust and |
| Genocide Education Commission". |
| 16-93.1-2. Definitions. |
| As used in this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings |
| unless the context shall clearly indicate another or different meaning or intent: |
| (1) "Genocide" means any act committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in substantial |
| part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group such as: |
| (i) Killing members of that group; |
| (ii) Causing serious bodily injury to members of that group; |
| (iii) Causing permanent impairment of the mental faculties of members of the group |
| through drugs, torture, or similar techniques; |
| (iv) Subjecting the group to conditions of life that are intended to cause the physical |
| destruction of the group in whole or in part; |
| (v) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; or |
| (vi) Forcibly transferring or attempting to transfer children of the group to another group, |
| as defined by the Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987 (18 USC U.S.C. 1091). |
| (2) "Holocaust" means the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and |
| murder of approximately six million (6,000,000) Jews and five million (5,000,000) other |
| individuals by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. |
| 16-93.1-3. Holocaust and genocide education commission. |
| (a) There is hereby created a permanent commission to be known as the Rhode Island |
| Holocaust and genocide education commission to consist of thirteen (13) members: one of whom |
| shall be the Rhode Island commissioner of elementary and secondary education, or designee; one |
| of whom shall be the president of the Rhode Island Superintendent's Association, or designee; one |
| of whom shall be a member of the Rhode Island Association of School Principals, or designee; one |
| of whom shall be the president of the Rhode Island chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, |
| or designee; one of whom shall be the president of the Rhode Island Chapter of the National |
| Education Association, or designee; one of whom shall be the president of the Rhode Island |
| Association of School Committees, or designee; and seven (7) of whom shall be appointed by the |
| governor to serve a term of three (3) years, at least three (3) of whom shall be involved in Holocaust |
| and genocide education or have a personal connection or experience with the Holocaust or |
| genocide; and at least three (3) of whom shall have expertise in investigating, analyzing, or |
| researching the Holocaust or genocide. |
| (b) When making appointments, the governor shall ensure that appointees represent diverse |
| communities affected by genocide. |
| (c) A member of the commission may be removed by the governor for inefficiency, neglect |
| of duty, misconduct, or malfeasance in office, after being given a written statement of the charges |
| and an opportunity to be publicly heard on such charges by the general assembly. |
| (d) Vacancies in the commission shall be filled in the manner provided under subsection |
| (a) of this section. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the |
| term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of that |
| term. Any appointed member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration of that member's |
| term until the member's successor takes office. |
| 16-93.1-4. Meetings and by-laws bylaws. |
| (a) The commission shall meet at least six (6) times during a calendar year. |
| (b) At the first meeting, the commission shall elect a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and |
| other officers from the voting members. |
| (c) The commission shall adopt by-laws bylaws governing the commission. |
| 16-93.1-5. Quorum. |
| A quorum at the meeting shall consist of seven (7) voting members present. |
| 16-93.1-6. Expenses. |
| Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for |
| expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. |
| 16-93.1-7. Duties and responsibilities of the commission. |
| The commission shall: |
| (1) Gather and disseminate Holocaust and genocide information throughout this state; |
| (2) Take inventory of current statewide Holocaust and genocide education programs and |
| initiatives, and partner with the department of elementary and secondary education to prepare a |
| comprehensive educational program to fill program and initiative gaps; |
| (3) Plan and publicize Holocaust and Genocide Remembrance Month Activities activities |
| to be commemorated annually in April of each year, and promote public awareness of issues |
| relating to the Holocaust and genocide education through public education programs; |
| (4) Advise and educate the governor, general assembly, and state departments and agencies |
| regarding the nature, magnitude, and priorities of Holocaust and genocide education, and develop |
| policies and programs to address those needs; |
| (5) Seek opportunities to provide resources for schools to effectively teach about the |
| Holocaust and genocide; |
| (6) Apply for and accept grants and gifts from public and private sources to be administered |
| by the commission or subcontracted to local public or nonprofit agencies that shall use the grants |
| and gifts for the purpose intended; |
| (7) Review and approve grants that are administered or subcontracted by the commission; |
| (8)(i) Establish advisory committees for special subjects, as needed, to facilitate and |
| maximize community participation and subject matter expertise in the operation of the commission; |
| (ii) Advisory committees shall be comprised of members representing community |
| organizations, charitable institutions, elementary and secondary schools, higher education |
| institutions, faith-based organizations, public officials, and other persons as determined by the |
| office; |
| (9) Establish relationships with local and state governments, federal officials, nonprofit |
| organizations, and the private sector to promote and ensure the highest standards of Holocaust and |
| genocide education; |
| (10) Endeavor to ensure that Holocaust and genocide survivors, liberators, educators, and |
| others involved in Holocaust and genocide education have access to decision-making bodies in |
| local, state, national, and international departments, agencies, and genocide education and |
| memorial organizations; and |
| (11) Submit a written annual report of the commission's activities, accomplishments, and |
| recommendations to the governor, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of |
| representatives. |
| SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC002049/SUB A |
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