A 8971 New York Assembly · 2025 Regular Session

Establishes the New York Italian American Heritage Education Equity Act

This bill (A 8971) creates a process to assess how New York schools teach Italian American heritage history. The state education commissioner must survey school districts on topics like which grades cover this history, curriculum used, and challenges faced. An advisory committee of appointed experts will then review the survey results and recommend improvements to K-12 curriculum and teaching resources. The committee must submit recommendations within two years and disband after that, with the entire process expiring three years after enactment. The bill directly affects school districts and state education officials, but does not mandate specific curriculum changes.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Aug 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Aug 13, 2025 Last action Jan 7, 2026