Kansas Senate Bill SB420

Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/29/26
• Refer: 1/30/26

Caption

Enacting the Holocaust education act to require school districts to provide instruction on Holocaust education and awareness as part of the social studies curriculum for students in grades six through 12.

Summary

SB 420 would create the “Holocaust education act” and require the Kansas State Board of Education to develop age- and developmentally appropriate curriculum, materials, and guidelines for Holocaust education and awareness. The bill directs the board to provide resources intended to help students understand the historical context of the Holocaust and to encourage respect for human dignity and the prevention of future atrocities. The bill also requires each school district to provide Holocaust instruction to students in grades 6 through 12 as part of the social studies curriculum. Districts could use the state board’s materials, and the instruction must include historical context explaining how and why the Holocaust happened, participation in learning projects, and use of materials from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum or the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education. The bill defines “Holocaust” broadly to include the persecution and murder of European Jewry and other targeted groups, including Roma and Sinti people, people with disabilities, Polish people, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Soviet prisoners of war, certain people based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and political dissidents. In terms of state law, SB 420 would add a new statutory requirement to Kansas education law by mandating Holocaust instruction in middle and high school grades. It would place responsibility on the state board of education to create guidance and on local school districts to ensure the instruction is delivered, thereby affecting curriculum standards, instructional materials, and district compliance obligations. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, the bill’s general sentiment cannot be measured from legislative debate or roll calls. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears educational and commemorative in purpose, with a focus on historical awareness, civic responsibility, and anti-atrocity education. No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of debate, if raised, could include state curriculum mandates, local control over instruction, the scope of the Holocaust definition, and the use of outside educational materials, but none of these are shown in the available discussion or voting history.

Impact

SB 420 would amend Kansas education policy by requiring Holocaust education for grades 6 through 12 and directing the State Board of Education to develop supporting curriculum and guidance. It would affect school districts, teachers, and curriculum planners by making Holocaust instruction a statutory part of the social studies curriculum and by encouraging the use of specified museum and education-center materials.

Sentiment

No committee discussion or vote history is provided, so there is no recorded legislative sentiment to summarize. From the bill text, the measure appears broadly educational and preventive in tone, aimed at historical understanding and respect for human rights.

Contention

The provided record contains no documented opposition, amendments, or debate. Possible issues that could arise, though not shown here, include concerns about state-mandated curriculum, implementation burden on districts, and the breadth of the Holocaust definition and approved instructional materials.