1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; requiring Holocaust and genocide education in social studies 
1.3 	curriculum for middle and high school students; creating a Holocaust and Genocide 
1.4 	Education Task Force; requiring a report; appropriating money;proposing coding 
1.5 	for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 120B.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. [120B.25] HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE EDUCATION.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) "Holocaust and genocide education" means 
1.9 	interdisciplinary teaching and learning about the causes, impacts, and legacies of the 
1.10 	Holocaust, other genocides, and incidents of mass violence.
1.11 	(b) The "Holocaust" was the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of 
1.12 	6,000,000 Jews by the Nazi regime and its allies and collaborators.
1.13 	(c) "Genocide" means an internationally recognized crime where acts are committed 
1.14 	with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. 
1.15 	Acts of genocide, as defined by the United Nations and the Rome Statute, include the 
1.16 	following categories:
1.17 	(1) killing members of the group;
1.18 	(2) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
1.19 	(3) deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its 
1.20 	physical destruction in whole or in part;
1.21 	(4) imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; or
1.22 	(5) forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
2.1 	Genocide also means a series of purposeful actions by a perpetrator or perpetrators to destroy 
2.2 	a collectivity through mass or selective murders of group members and suppressing the 
2.3 	biological and social reproduction of the collectivity. The perpetrator or perpetrators may 
2.4 	represent the state of the victim, another state, or another collectivity.
2.5 	(d) "Incidents of mass violence" means extreme violence deliberately inflicted on a large 
2.6 	scale on civilians or noncombatants by state or nonstate actors. Incidents of mass violence 
2.7 	encompass the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and 
2.8 	terrorism.
2.9 	(e) "Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies" means the Center for Holocaust and 
2.10 	Genocide Studies at the University of Minnesota.
2.11 		Subd. 2.Requirements. (a) A school district must, at a minimum, offer Holocaust and 
2.12 	genocide education as part of its social studies curriculum for middle and high school.
2.13 	(b) As part of the social studies curriculum, students in middle school must:
2.14 	(1) analyze connections between World War II, fascism, and the Holocaust, and identify 
2.15 	the relationship between individuals' experiences of these events and broader historical 
2.16 	contexts;
2.17 	(2) use primary and secondary sources to analyze how individuals, groups, and societies 
2.18 	around the world have been affected by genocide, such as the genocide in German Southwest 
2.19 	Africa; Armenian genocide; the genocide of the Ukranian people from 1932 to 1933, also 
2.20 	known as the Holodomor; the Holocaust, including non-Jewish victims of Nazi persecution 
2.21 	and genocide; Cambodian genocide; Rwandan genocide; and genocide in Darfur; and mass 
2.22 	violence, including communities resettled in Minnesota; and
2.23 	(3) construct a narrative about why and how people have migrated to Minnesota as a 
2.24 	result of either warfare, genocide, or both, including the genocide in German Southwest 
2.25 	Africa; Armenian genocide; the genocide of the Ukranian people from 1932 to 1933, also 
2.26 	known as the Holodomor; the Holocaust, including non-Jewish victims of Nazi persecution 
2.27 	and genocide; Cambodian genocide; Rwandan genocide; and genocide in Darfur; using 
2.28 	primary sources about immigrant experiences.
2.29 	(c) As part of the social studies curriculum, students in high school must:
2.30 	(1) analyze the connections between nationalism, fascism, World War II, and the 
2.31 	Holocaust on a global scale and in the United States; and
2.32 	(2) describe and evaluate different responses to human rights violations, including the 
2.33 	Holocaust and genocides.
3.1 	(d) School districts are strongly encouraged to include Holocaust and genocide education 
3.2 	in their English language arts curriculum and focus on other genocides and incidents of 
3.3 	mass violence not related to the Holocaust, including but not limited to the displacement 
3.4 	and genocide of Indigenous peoples; genocide in German Southwest Africa; Armenian 
3.5 	genocide; the genocide of the Ukranian people from 1932 to 1933, also known as the 
3.6 	Holodomor; non-Jewish victims of Nazi persecution and genocide; Cambodian genocide; 
3.7 	Rwandan genocide; and genocide in Darfur.
3.8 	(e) Public schools are strongly encouraged to include context about the history, culture, 
3.9 	and traditions of the communities devastated by the Holocaust, other genocides, and incidents 
3.10 	of mass violence.
3.11 	(f) A school district must provide Holocaust and genocide education as part of its 
3.12 	curriculum in middle school and high school by the 2024-2025 school year in accordance 
3.13 	with Department of Education rulemaking on social studies standards and benchmarks.

3.14 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2023.

3.15 	Sec. 2. HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE EDUCATION TASK FORCE.
3.16 		Subdivision 1.Task force established. (a) The Holocaust and Genocide Education Task 
3.17 	Force is established to advise the commissioner of education on Holocaust and genocide 
3.18 	education and develop resources necessary to implement Holocaust and genocide education 
3.19 	requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.25. The commissioner must appoint 
3.20 	members of the task force by April 1, 2024, based on the guidance and recommendations 
3.21 	from the cochairs of the task force.
3.22 	(b) The Holocaust and Genocide Education Task Force must have a minimum of 12 
3.23 	members, but no more than 21 members, consisting of the following members:
3.24 	(1) at least one representative, who shall cochair the task force, from the Center for 
3.25 	Holocaust and Genocide Studies;
3.26 	(2) at least one representative, who shall cochair the task force, from a Minnesota-based 
3.27 	nonprofit organization designated by Minnesota's Jewish community to provide Holocaust 
3.28 	education and honor the victims and survivors of the Holocaust;
3.29 	(3) at least one additional representative from a Minnesota college or university other 
3.30 	than the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies with academic expertise in Holocaust 
3.31 	and genocide studies;
4.1 	(4) at least one representative from a Minnesota teacher licensure program with expertise 
4.2 	in Holocaust and genocide studies;
4.3 	(5) at least three representatives from Minnesota-based nonprofit organizations, 
4.4 	community groups, sovereign nations, or institutions of higher education whose missions 
4.5 	include educating about and honoring the victims and survivors of the displacement and 
4.6 	genocide of Indigenous peoples; genocide in German Southwest Africa; Armenian genocide; 
4.7 	the genocide of the Ukranian people from 1932 to 1933, also known as the Holodomor; 
4.8 	non-Jewish victims of Nazi persecution and genocide; Cambodian genocide; Rwandan 
4.9 	genocide; and genocide in Darfur;
4.10 	(6) at least one public middle school social studies teacher with experience teaching the 
4.11 	Holocaust or other genocides in the classroom;
4.12 	(7) at least one public high school social studies teacher with experience teaching the 
4.13 	Holocaust or other genocides in the classroom;
4.14 	(8) at least one public middle school English language arts teacher with experience 
4.15 	teaching the Holocaust or other genocides in the classroom;
4.16 	(9) at least one public high school English language arts teacher with experience teaching 
4.17 	the Holocaust or other genocides in the classroom; and
4.18 	(10) at least one public middle school student or high school student with a demonstrated 
4.19 	interest in learning about the Holocaust or other genocides.
4.20 	(c) At the discretion of the task force cochairs, the task force may add additional experts 
4.21 	in the field of Holocaust and genocide studies, Minnesota history, social studies education, 
4.22 	English language arts education, and community members with a particular interest in 
4.23 	Holocaust and genocide education.
4.24 	(d) The task force must make every effort to be inclusive and represent the breadth of 
4.25 	Minnesota communities impacted by the Holocaust, other genocides, and incidents of mass 
4.26 	violence.
4.27 		Subd. 2.Task force duties. (a) The task force must:
4.28 	(1) advise the commissioner during the development of the social studies glossary 
4.29 	regarding the definitions of "Holocaust," "genocide," and "incidents of mass violence";
4.30 	(2) identify professional learning opportunities for teachers and public school district 
4.31 	staff, including opportunities for continuing education to facilitate implementation of 
4.32 	Holocaust and genocide education requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.25;
5.1 	(3) identify training materials, strategies, skills, content, and resources for teachers and 
5.2 	public school district staff to successfully implement the Holocaust and genocide education 
5.3 	requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.25;
5.4 	(4) develop model lesson plans that teachers and public-school district staff may use to 
5.5 	successfully implement the Holocaust and genocide education requirements under Minnesota 
5.6 	Statutes, section 120B.25;
5.7 	(5) create a work plan that outlines the timeline to fulfill its duties under this subdivision;
5.8 	(6) provide to the commissioner of education a list of recommended professional learning 
5.9 	opportunities, resources, strategies, skills, content, model lesson plans, and other materials 
5.10 	developed under this subdivision by May 1, 2025;
5.11 	(7) coordinate with the commissioner to update the material and resources. The 
5.12 	commissioner must make all reasonable efforts to make the recommended materials publicly 
5.13 	available on the department's website by September 1, 2025; and
5.14 	(8) by November 15, 2025, submit to the chairs and ranking minority members of the 
5.15 	committees of the senate and the house of representatives with primary jurisdiction over 
5.16 	kindergarten through grade 12 education policy and finance a report containing a list of 
5.17 	resources and materials provided to the commissioner of education for the commissioner 
5.18 	to make available to public school districts implementing Holocaust and genocide education 
5.19 	requirements.
5.20 	(b) The task force may:
5.21 	(1) conduct a survey of the current state of Holocaust and genocide education in 
5.22 	Minnesota public school districts with a focus on teacher preparedness, access and utilization 
5.23 	of resources, and additional surveys of the state of Holocaust and genocide education 
5.24 	following the conclusion of the 2024-2025 school year;
5.25 	(2) carry out any other tasks that it considers pertinent to support the ability of teachers 
5.26 	and public school district staff to facilitate the successful implementation of Holocaust and 
5.27 	genocide education requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.25; and
5.28 	(3) apply for and accept grants and receive gifts, donations, and other financial support 
5.29 	from private sources for the purposes of carrying out its work under this section.
5.30 		Subd. 3.Task force meetings and compensation. (a) The task force must convene on 
5.31 	at least a bimonthly basis and must hold the first meeting no later than September 1, 2023.
6.1 	(b) Members of the task force shall receive a stipend of $500 per month for their time, 
6.2 	work, and expertise.
6.3 		Subd. 4.Administration. The commissioner must provide meeting space and technical 
6.4 	assistance for the task force.
6.5 		Subd. 5.Expiration. This section expires November 16, 2025, or after the task force 
6.6 	report is submitted under subdivision 2.

6.7 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2023.

6.8 	Sec. 3. APPROPRIATIONS.
 6.9 		Subdivision 1.Department of Education. The sums indicated in this section are 
6.10 	appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal years 
6.11 	designated.
6.12 		Subd. 2.Holocaust and Genocide Education Task Force. For the Holocaust and 
6.13 	Genocide Education Task Force under section 2:

6.14		$
	.......
	.....
	2024
	
6.15		$
	.......
	.....
	2025
	
6.16 	Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.
6.17 		Subd. 3.Holocaust and genocide education implementation. For implementation of 
6.18 	state Holocaust and genocide education requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 
6.19 	120B.25:

6.20		$
	.......
	.....
	2024
	
6.21		$
	.......
	.....
	2025
	
6.22 	The base for fiscal year 2026 is $........
6.23 		Subd. 4.Holocaust and genocide education professional learning grants. (a) For 
6.24 	grants to fund professional learning opportunities and resources for educators and public 
6.25 	school district staff to facilitate the successful implementation of Holocaust and genocide 
6.26 	education requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.25:

6.27		$
	.......
	.....
	2024
	
6.28		$
	.......
	.....
	2025
	
6.29 	(b) The grants must be awarded by the commissioner for professional learning 
6.30 	opportunities and resources recommended by the Holocaust and Genocide Education Task 
6.31 	Force established under section 2.
7.1 	(c) The base for fiscal year 2026 is $........