093_SB0890 LRB093 10614 NHT 10900 b 1 AN ACT concerning education. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 5 27-20.7 as follows: 6 (105 ILCS 5/27-20.7 new) 7 Sec. 27-20.7. Asian History Study. 8 (a) Every public elementary school and high school shall 9 include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the 10 events of Asian History, including South Asia and the Pacific 11 Islands. These events shall include not only the 12 contributions made by individual Asian-Americans in 13 government and in the arts, humanities, and sciences to the 14 economic, cultural, and political development of the United 15 States and Asia but also the struggle that Asian-Americans 16 experience collectively in striving to achieve fair and equal 17 treatment under the laws of this nation. The studying of this 18 material shall constitute an affirmation by students of their 19 commitment to respect the dignity of all races and peoples 20 and to forever eschew every form of discrimination in their 21 lives and careers. 22 (b) The State Superintendent of Education may prepare 23 and make available to all school boards instructional 24 materials that may be used as guidelines for the development 25 of a unit of instruction under this Section, provided that 26 each school board shall itself determine the minimum amount 27 of instruction time that qualifies as a unit of instruction 28 satisfying the requirements of this Section. 29 Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding 30 Section 8.27 as follows: -2- LRB093 10614 NHT 10900 b 1 (30 ILCS 805/8.27 new) 2 Sec. 8.27. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 3 and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required 4 for the implementation of any mandate created by this 5 amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly. 6 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect on July 7 1, 2003.