STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3906
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 30, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to making certain
provisions applicable to public schools relating to instruction in
civility, citizenship and character education
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 801-a of the education law, as amended by chapter
2 102 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 801-a. Instruction in civility, citizenship and character education.
4 The regents shall ensure that the course of instruction in grades
5 kindergarten through twelve includes a component on civility, citizen-
6 ship and character education. Such component shall instruct students on
7 the principles of honesty, tolerance, personal responsibility, respect
8 for others, with an emphasis on discouraging acts of harassment, bully-
9 ing, discrimination, observance of laws and rules, courtesy, dignity and
10 other traits which will enhance the quality of their experiences in, and
11 contributions to, the community. Such component shall include instruc-
12 tion of safe, responsible use of the internet and electronic communi-
13 cations. The regents shall determine how to incorporate such component
14 in existing curricula and the commissioner shall promulgate any regu-
15 lations needed to carry out such determination of the regents. For the
16 purposes of this section for courses of instruction in public schools,
17 "tolerance," "respect for others" and "dignity" shall include awareness
18 and sensitivity to harassment, bullying, discrimination and civility in
19 the relations of people of different races, weights, national origins,
20 ethnic groups, religions, religious practices, mental or physical abili-
21 ties, sexual orientations, genders, and sexes.
22 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07369-01-5
