Enacts the "next-gen civics act" to provide education to students in grades nine through twelve on civic education; provides that such instruction shall include, but not be limited to, a hands-on, project-based curriculum where students shall apply what they learn through activities that include, but are not limited to, mock elections, community projects, and policy simulations.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9298
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
December 10, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. COLTON -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to instruction in civic
education
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "next-gen civics act".
3 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 801-b to
4 read as follows:
5 § 801-b. Instruction in civic education. 1. Commencing with the two
6 thousand twenty-seven--two thousand twenty-eight school year, the
7 commissioner shall establish a full semester curriculum, separate from
8 standard history classes, for instruction in civic education in all
9 schools providing instruction to students in grades nine through twelve.
10 2. Such curriculum shall further include, but not be limited to:
11 (a) how bills are passed;
12 (b) how elections are run;
13 (c) the Constitution of the United States including the Bill of
14 Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the structure and sepa-
15 ration of powers in the federal government;
16 (d) local and state history and government;
17 (e) the development of skills to access, analyze, and evaluate digital
18 media as it relates to our civic engagement and development of media
19 literacy skills;
20 (f) the history of voter registration and what motivates and
21 suppresses voter participation;
22 (g) opportunities to develop debate and analysis skills surrounding
23 civic issues; and
24 (h) opportunities that encourage voter participation.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14113-01-5
A. 9298 2
1 3. Such instruction shall further include, but shall not be limited
2 to, a hands-on, project-based curriculum where students apply what they
3 learn through activities that include, but are not limited to, mock
4 elections, community projects, and policy simulations. There shall be a
5 provision included that encourages and educates students of voter regis-
6 tration and civic engagement.
7 4. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations outlining
8 the training of teachers providing such civic education instruction
9 outlined in subdivisions two and three of this section and materials to
10 be provided for such instruction. The board of education or trustees of
11 every school district shall provide appropriate training and curriculum
12 materials, as promulgated by the commissioner, to such teachers.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. Effective immediately,
14 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
15 sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
16 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
