Bill Text: NY A05137 | 2009-2010 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: An act to amend the education law, the tax law and the state finance law, in relation to requiring that voter education be encouraged in high school civics and that the commissioner of education monitor and affirm that a student has received such instruction prior to graduation from high school, establishing a voter education fund and income tax check off for such fund

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-06 - referred to education [A05137 Detail]

Download: New_York-2009-A05137-Introduced.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         5137
                              2009-2010 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                   February 10, 2009
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by M. of A. V. LOPEZ, TOWNS -- read once and referred to the
         Committee on Education
       AN ACT to amend the education law, the tax law  and  the  state  finance
         law,  in  relation  to requiring that voter education be encouraged in
         high school civics and that the commissioner of education monitor  and
         affirm  that  a  student has received such instruction prior to gradu-
         ation from high school, establishing a voter education fund and income
         tax check off for such fund
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The growth and stability of a democratic society depends in
    2  large  measure  on  the participation of its citizens which is, in turn,
    3  principally determined by the extent of their understanding of the elec-
    4  toral process. At present,  unfortunately,  students  in  our  secondary
    5  schools  are  not  receiving  sufficient instruction in this vital area,
    6  thus making this legislation a matter of public necessity.
    7    S 2. Subparagraph 2 of paragraph a of subdivision 3 of section 3204 of
    8  the education law, as amended by chapter 124 of the  laws  of  1951,  is
    9  amended to read as follows:
   10    (2)  The courses of study and of specialized training beyond the first
   11  eight years of full time public day schools shall provide  for  instruc-
   12  tion  in at least the English language and its use, in civics, ENCOURAG-
   13  ING INSTRUCTION IN VOTER  EDUCATION,  hygiene,  physical  training,  and
   14  American  history  including  the principles of government proclaimed in
   15  the Declaration of Independence and established by the  constitution  of
   16  the  United  States.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MONITOR SUCH INSTRUCTION IN
   17  VOTER EDUCATION AND SHALL AFFIRM TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS  THAT  STUDENTS
   18  HAVE RECEIVED THE SAME PRIOR TO GRADUATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
   19    S  3.  The tax law is amended by adding a new section 616-a to read as
   20  follows:
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD08356-01-9
       A. 5137                             2
    1    S 616-A. CHECK OFF FOR VOTER  EDUCATION.  (A)  FOR  THE  TAXABLE  YEAR
    2  BEGINNING  JANUARY  FIRST,  NEXT  SUCCEEDING  THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS
    3  SECTION, EVERY PERSONAL INCOME TAX RETURN SHALL INCLUDE A PLACE  ON  THE
    4  FIRST  PAGE  WHERE  THE  TAXPAYER  MAY  DESIGNATE THAT ONE DOLLAR OF THE
    5  TAXPAYER'S  TAXES  BE  PAID  INTO  THE  VOTER EDUCATION FUND ESTABLISHED
    6  PURSUANT TO SECTION SEVENTY-NINE-A OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW. SUCH RETURN
    7  SHALL CONTAIN A CONCISE EXPLANATION OF  THE  PURPOSE  OF  SUCH  OPTIONAL
    8  DESIGNATION.  WHERE  TWO TAXPAYERS FILE JOINTLY, SUCH RETURN SHALL INDI-
    9  CATE THAT EACH SUCH TAXPAYER MAY MAKE SEPARATE DESIGNATIONS TO  BE  PAID
   10  INTO SUCH FUND.
   11    (B)  AFTER  CERTIFICATION  BY THE COMMISSIONER OF THE NUMBER OF DESIG-
   12  NATIONS MADE, THE COMPTROLLER SHALL  TRANSFER  TO  THE  VOTER  EDUCATION
   13  FUND,  OUT  OF  THE STATE TREASURY, AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO ONE DOLLAR MULTI-
   14  PLIED BY THE NUMBER OF DESIGNATIONS.
   15    S 4. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 79-a  to
   16  read as follows:
   17    S  79-A.  VOTER  EDUCATION FUND. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED IN THE
   18  CUSTODY OF THE COMPTROLLER A SPECIAL FUND TO  BE  KNOWN  AS  THE  "VOTER
   19  EDUCATION FUND".
   20    2.  SUCH  FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL MONIES RECEIVED AS A RESULT OF THE
   21  DESIGNATIONS TO SUCH FUND MADE UPON TAX RETURNS AS PROVIDED PURSUANT  TO
   22  SECTION SIX HUNDRED SIXTEEN-A OF THE TAX LAW.
   23    3.  AN  AMOUNT EQUAL TO ALL OF THE MONIES RECEIVED BY THE VOTER EDUCA-
   24  TION FUND PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE APPROPRI-
   25  ATED AND USED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO GIVE INSTRUCTION  IN  VOTER
   26  EDUCATION.
   27    4.  AMOUNTS  APPROPRIATED  FOR VOTER EDUCATION PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION
   28  THREE OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT AFFECT THE AMOUNT WHICH WOULD  OTHERWISE
   29  BE APPROPRIATED FOR EDUCATION UNDER ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW.
   30    S  5.  This  act  shall  take  effect  on  the first of September next
   31  succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.