Bill Text: NY A08279 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Enacts the "dismantling student antisemitism act", or "DSA act"; requires mandatory sensitivity training that includes the topic of antisemitism; includes reporting requirements regarding antisemitism complaints and disciplinary processes.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Republican 33-3)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-04-09 - held for consideration in higher education [A08279 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A08279-Introduced.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          8279

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    November 27, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by M. of A. RA -- read once and referred to the Committee on
          Higher Education

        AN ACT to amend the education  law,  in  relation  to  establishing  the
          "dismantling student antisemitism act"

          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 "dismantling student antisemitism act" or "DSA act".
     3    §  2.  The  education law is amended by adding a new section 6436-a to
     4  read as follows:
     5    § 6436-a. Dismantling student antisemitism act. 1. The chancellors  of
     6  the  city  university  of New York and state university of New York, and
     7  all presidents of accredited higher education institutions, shall:
     8    (a) amend current policies and procedures which  require  all  college
     9  and  university  administrators,  faculty,  staff and students to attend
    10  sensitivity training seminars, to include training pertaining to antise-
    11  mitism;
    12    (b) establish, and implement on an ongoing basis, a  training  program
    13  for  all current and new employees regarding the policies and procedures
    14  established pursuant to this section;
    15    (c) consult with an expert in the  areas  of  antisemitism  awareness,
    16  prevention,  and  Jewish  history and culture to conduct the sensitivity
    17  training described in paragraph (a) of this subdivision;
    18    (d) provide information pertaining to such policies and procedures  to
    19  the department;
    20    (e)  make  such information available to the public, including alumni,
    21  regarding who to contact with questions regarding this policy and how to
    22  report violations of this policy;
    23    (f) ensure that appropriate investigation is made into  complaints  of
    24  hate  and  discrimination related to antisemitism and that discipline is

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD13533-02-3

        A. 8279                             2

     1  imposed for such behavior in accordance with each entity's policies  and
     2  processes; and
     3    (g)  maintain  records  to  ensure  compliance  with  annual training,
     4  reporting, and alternative supervision requirements.
     5    2. The chancellors of the  city  university  of  New  York  and  state
     6  university  of  New York, and all presidents of accredited higher educa-
     7  tion institutions shall adopt and publish a uniform hate  and  discrimi-
     8  nation  policy  statement related to antisemitism. Each such institution
     9  shall publish such policy statement on its website.
    10    3. (a) The chancellors of the city university of New  York  and  state
    11  university  of  New York, and all presidents of accredited higher educa-
    12  tion institutions shall record  incidents  of  hate  and  discrimination
    13  related to antisemitism on all campuses throughout the academic year and
    14  submit an aggregated report of these incidents to the department by July
    15  first of each year. Such report shall include, but not be limited to:
    16    (i) the number of such incidents that were reported;
    17    (ii)  the number of reporting individuals who sought the institution's
    18  judicial or conduct process;
    19    (iii) the number of cases processed through the institution's judicial
    20  or conduct process;
    21    (iv) the number of respondents who were found responsible through  the
    22  institution's judicial or conduct process;
    23    (v)  the  number of respondents who were found not responsible through
    24  the institution's judicial or conduct process;
    25    (vi) a description of the final sanctions imposed by  the  institution
    26  for  each  incident for which a respondent was found responsible through
    27  the institution's judicial  or  conduct  process,  as  provided  for  in
    28  subparagraph (iv) of this paragraph;
    29    (vii)  the  number  of  cases in the institution's judicial or conduct
    30  process that were closed  prior  to  a  final  determination  after  the
    31  respondent  withdrew  from  the institution and declined to complete the
    32  disciplinary process; and
    33    (viii) the number of cases in the institution's  judicial  or  conduct
    34  process  that  were  closed  prior  to a final determination because the
    35  complaint was withdrawn by the reporting individual.
    36    (b) Such report shall:
    37    (i) not reflect personal information, as provided for in paragraph (a)
    38  of this subdivision, if, in the best  judgment  of  the  department,  it
    39  would  compromise  the  confidentiality  of reporting individuals or any
    40  other party;
    41    (ii) be delivered by the department to  the  governor,  the  temporary
    42  president  of  the senate, the speaker of the assembly, and the minority
    43  leaders of the assembly and senate  by  December  thirty-first  of  each
    44  year; and
    45    (iii)  be made publicly available by the department and all accredited
    46  higher education institutions each year.
    47    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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