NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9157
SPONSOR: Morinello TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring curriculum
or instruction in Italian history and civic impact in public schools
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To require public schools to integrate Italian-American history into
history or social studies curriculum
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 directs the commissioner to establish Italian-Amiercan history
and civic impact curriculum or instruction for school districts.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
It is important to incorporate Italian-American History into public-
school curriculum to help dispel the ignorance and negative stereotypes
that have remained prevalent in our culture and allow students to know
the positive impacts Italian-Americans have had on our culture and soci-
ety.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: S7618 Referred to Education 2023: S7618 Referred to Rules
2022: New Bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
TBD
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date
on which it shall have become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9157
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
October 17, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. MORINELLO -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring curriculum
or instruction in Italian history and civic impact in public schools
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 819 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 819. Italian history and civic impact curriculum or instruction. 1.
4 The commissioner shall establish Italian history and civic impact
5 curriculum or instruction for all public school districts in the state.
6 The contents of such curriculum or instruction shall be age appropriate
7 and developed according to the needs and abilities of students at
8 successive grade levels in order to provide robust Italian history and
9 civic impact instruction. Such contents shall include, but shall not be
10 limited to, instruction in the following:
11 a. Italian history, including the history of Italian immigration to
12 the United States;
13 b. The movements and policies that impacted the Italian community in
14 the United States;
15 c. The contributions made by the Italian community in government, the
16 arts, humanities, science, and the economic, cultural, social, and poli-
17 tical development of the United States; and
18 d. The structures and historical events that have limited or harmed
19 the Italian community, especially pertaining to the history of Italian
20 immigration to the United States.
21 2. The board of education or trustees of every school district shall
22 provide appropriate training and curriculum materials for teachers who
23 provide such instruction.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08008-01-5
A. 9157 2
1 3. Schools may include such curriculum materials as components of such
2 schools' history or social studies curriculum, or any other manner such
3 schools deem appropriate.
4 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
5 the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
6 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
7 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized
8 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
