New York Senate Bill S07855

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/9/25
• Refer: 5/9/25
• Engrossed: 6/10/25
• Refer: 6/10/25
• Engrossed: 6/11/25
• Enrolled: 12/1/25
• Chaptered: 12/12/25
• Passed: 12/12/25

Caption

Authorizes the commissioner of education to conduct a survey regarding instruction on Asian American, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander history within the state; establishes an Asian American, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander history advisory committee; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof.

Summary

This bill directs the Commissioner of Education to conduct a statewide survey on how Asian American, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) history is currently taught in New York schools. The survey would ask school districts about whether and how they teach AANHPI history, what grade levels and instructional time are devoted to it, what curricula are used, what barriers educators face, whether teachers receive training, and whether student understanding is assessed. The commissioner must report the survey findings, and any recommendations, to state leaders within a specified timeframe after the bill takes effect. The bill also creates a temporary AANHPI history advisory committee within the Education Department. The committee would have four members appointed by the governor, Senate temporary president, Assembly speaker, and commissioner, and all members must have relevant expertise in AANHPI studies or education. The committee is charged with evaluating how much AANHPI content is included in current learning standards, how it is taught in classrooms, and how it could be better integrated into state standards and existing courses. The committee must submit a written report within two years, and the entire act expires and is repealed three years after taking effect.

Impact

The bill does not directly mandate a new statewide curriculum, but it creates a formal process for gathering information and developing recommendations that could influence future changes to New York’s learning standards, social studies instruction, and teacher support related to AANHPI history. It amends the Education Law by adding a new section establishing the advisory committee and authorizes the commissioner to collect data from school districts and other state entities. Because the act is temporary and set to expire after three years, its legal effect is limited to the survey, reporting, and advisory functions it creates.

Sentiment

The voting record suggests broad support for the bill. It passed the Senate Rules Committee unanimously, then cleared the Senate floor by a wide margin with only one dissenting vote, and passed the Assembly with strong bipartisan support despite a larger number of no votes. The overall sentiment appears favorable toward increasing attention to AANHPI history in public education and toward using a study-and-recommendation approach rather than an immediate mandate.

Contention

The main point of potential contention is not the goal of teaching AANHPI history, but how far the state should go in directing curriculum and standards. The bill takes a measured approach by first surveying districts and convening an expert advisory committee, which may reflect concern about implementation burdens, local curriculum control, educator training, and the availability of instructional materials. The relatively small number of negative votes in both chambers suggests some lawmakers may have objected to the creation of another advisory body, the reporting requirements, or the possibility that the study could lead to future curriculum mandates.