1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; requiring education on the Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous 
1.3 	Peoples, and other genocides for middle and high school students; creating a 
1.4 	working group on education on the Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous Peoples, 
1.5 	and other genocides; requiring a report; appropriating money;proposing coding 
1.6 	for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 120B.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. [120B.25] HOLOCAUST, GENOCIDE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, 
1.9 	AND OTHER GENOCIDE EDUCATION.
1.10 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) "Holocaust and genocide studies" means interdisciplinary 
1.11 	teaching and learning about the causes, impacts, and legacies of the Holocaust, other 
1.12 	genocides, and incidents of mass violence.
1.13 	(b) The "Holocaust" was the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of 
1.14 	6,000,000 Jews by the Nazi regime and its allies and collaborators.
1.15 	(c) "Genocide" means an internationally recognized crime where acts are committed 
1.16 	with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. 
1.17 	Acts of genocide, as defined by the United Nations and the Rome Statute, include the 
1.18 	following categories:
1.19 	(1) killing members of the group;
1.20 	(2) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
1.21 	(3) deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its 
1.22 	physical destruction in whole or in part;
2.1 	(4) imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; or
2.2 	(5) forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
2.3 	Genocide also means a series of purposeful actions by a perpetrator or perpetrators to destroy 
2.4 	a collectivity through mass or selective murders of group members and suppressing the 
2.5 	biological and social reproduction of the collectivity. The perpetrator or perpetrators may 
2.6 	represent the state of the victim, another state, or another collectivity.
2.7 	(d) "Incidents of mass violence" means extreme violence deliberately inflicted on a large 
2.8 	scale on civilians or noncombatants by state or nonstate actors. Incidents of mass violence 
2.9 	encompass the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and 
2.10 	terrorism.
2.11 	(e) "Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies" means the Center for Holocaust and 
2.12 	Genocide Studies at the University of Minnesota.
2.13 		Subd. 2.Requirements. (a) A school district must, at a minimum, offer as part of its 
2.14 	social studies curriculum for middle and high school education on the Holocaust, genocide 
2.15 	of Indigenous Peoples, and other genocides. Curriculum must:
2.16 	(1) examine the history of the genocide of Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous removal 
2.17 	from Minnesota, including the genocide, dispossession, and forced removal of the Dakota, 
2.18 	Ojibwe, and Ho-Chunk;
2.19 	(2) analyze the connections between World War II, nationalism, fascism, antisemitism, 
2.20 	and the Holocaust;
2.21 	(3) analyze how individuals, groups, and societies around the world have been affected 
2.22 	by genocide, such as the genocide of Indigenous Peoples in the Americas and throughout 
2.23 	the world; Black genocide in the United States and the Americas; the genocide in German 
2.24 	Southwest Africa; Armenian genocide; the genocide of the Ukrainian people from 1932 to 
2.25 	1933, also known as the Holodomor; the Holocaust, including non-Jewish victims of Nazi 
2.26 	persecution and genocide; Cambodian genocide; Guatemalan genocide; Rwandan genocide; 
2.27 	genocide in the former Yugoslavia; genocide in Darfur; Rohingya genocide; and other 
2.28 	historical and contemporary cases of genocide and mass violence, especially those 
2.29 	experienced by communities expelled from, resettled in, migrated to, or living in Minnesota; 
2.30 	and
2.31 	(4) describe and evaluate different responses to genocides and other human rights 
2.32 	violations, such as the genocide of Indigenous Peoples in the Americas and throughout the 
2.33 	world; Black genocide in the United States and the Americas; the genocide in German 
3.1 	Southwest Africa; Armenian genocide; the genocide of the Ukrainian people from 1932 to 
3.2 	1933, also known as the Holodomor; the Holocaust, including non-Jewish victims of Nazi 
3.3 	persecution and genocide; Cambodian genocide; Guatemalan genocide; Rwandan genocide; 
3.4 	genocide in the former Yugoslavia; genocide in Darfur; Rohingya genocide; and other 
3.5 	historical and contemporary cases of genocide.
3.6 	(b) Public schools are strongly encouraged to include in middle and high school social 
3.7 	studies curriculum context about the history, culture, and traditions of the communities 
3.8 	devastated by the Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous Peoples, other genocides, and incidents 
3.9 	of mass violence.
3.10 	(c) School districts are strongly encouraged to include the Holocaust, genocide of 
3.11 	Indigenous Peoples, other genocides, and incidents of mass violence in middle and high 
3.12 	school English language arts curriculum.
3.13 	(d) A school district must provide Holocaust and genocide education as part of its 
3.14 	curriculum in middle and high school by the 2025-2026 school year in accordance with 
3.15 	Department of Education rulemaking on social studies standards and benchmarks.

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

3.17 	Sec. 2. WORKING GROUP ON EDUCATION ON THE HOLOCAUST, GENOCIDE 
3.18 	OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, AND OTHER GENOCIDES.
3.19 		Subdivision 1.Working group established. (a) The Working Group on Education on 
3.20 	the Holocaust, Genocide of Indigenous Peoples, and Other Genocides is established to 
3.21 	advise the commissioner of education and develop resources necessary to implement 
3.22 	requirements for education on the Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous Peoples, and other 
3.23 	genocides under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.25. The commissioner must appoint 
3.24 	members of the working group by April 1, 2024, based on the guidance and recommendations 
3.25 	from the cochairs of the working group.
3.26 	(b) The Working Group on Education on the Holocaust, Genocide of Indigenous Peoples, 
3.27 	and Other Genocides must have a minimum of 11 members, but no more than 21 members, 
3.28 	consisting of the following members:
3.29 	(1) at least one representative, who shall cochair the working group, from the Center for 
3.30 	Holocaust and Genocide Studies;
3.31 	(2) at least one representative, who shall cochair the working group, with expertise in 
3.32 	training middle and high school teachers in Holocaust and other genocide education;
4.1 	(3) at least one representative from a Minnesota college or university with academic 
4.2 	expertise in the genocide of Indigenous Peoples in Minnesota or in the Americas and 
4.3 	throughout the world;
4.4 	(4) at least one additional representative from a Minnesota college or university other 
4.5 	than the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies with academic expertise in Holocaust 
4.6 	and genocide studies;
4.7 	(5) at least one representative from a Minnesota teacher licensure program with expertise 
4.8 	in the Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous Peoples, and other genocide studies;
4.9 	(6) at least three representatives from Minnesota-based nonprofit organizations, 
4.10 	community groups, sovereign nations, or institutions of higher education whose missions 
4.11 	include educating about and honoring the victims and survivors of the displacement and 
4.12 	genocide of Indigenous Peoples in the Americas and throughout the world; Black genocide 
4.13 	in the United States and the Americas; the genocide in German Southwest Africa; Armenian 
4.14 	genocide; the genocide of the Ukrainian people from 1932 to 1933, also known as the 
4.15 	Holodomor; the Holocaust, including non-Jewish victims of Nazi persecution and genocide; 
4.16 	Cambodian genocide; Guatemalan genocide; Rwandan genocide; genocide in the former 
4.17 	Yugoslavia; genocide in Darfur; Rohingya genocide; and other historical and contemporary 
4.18 	cases of genocide;
4.19 	(7) at least one public middle or high school social studies teacher with experience 
4.20 	teaching the Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous Peoples, or other genocides in the classroom;
4.21 	(8) at least one public middle or high school English language arts teacher with experience 
4.22 	teaching the Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous Peoples, or other genocides in the classroom; 
4.23 	and
4.24 	(9) at least one public middle or high school student with a demonstrated interest in 
4.25 	learning about the Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous Peoples, or other genocides.
4.26 	(c) At the discretion of the commissioner and in consultation with the working group 
4.27 	cochairs, the working group may include additional experts in the fields of Holocaust and 
4.28 	genocide studies, genocide of Indigenous Peoples or other genocides, Minnesota history, 
4.29 	social studies education, English language arts education, and community members with a 
4.30 	particular interest in education on the Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous Peoples, and other 
4.31 	genocides.
4.32 		Subd. 2.Working group duties. (a) The working group must:
5.1 	(1) advise the commissioner during the development of the social studies glossary 
5.2 	regarding the definitions of "Holocaust," "genocide," and "incidents of mass violence";
5.3 	(2) identify professional learning opportunities for teachers and public school district 
5.4 	staff, including opportunities for continuing education to facilitate implementation of 
5.5 	education requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.25;
5.6 	(3) identify training materials, strategies, skills, content, and resources for teachers and 
5.7 	public school district staff to successfully implement the education requirements under 
5.8 	Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.25;
5.9 	(4) develop model lesson plans that teachers and public school district staff may use to 
5.10 	successfully implement the education requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 
5.11 	120B.25;
5.12 	(5) create a work plan that outlines the timeline to fulfill its duties under this subdivision;
5.13 	(6) provide to the commissioner of education a list of recommended professional learning 
5.14 	opportunities, resources, strategies, skills, content, model lesson plans, and other materials 
5.15 	developed under this subdivision by May 1, 2025;
5.16 	(7) coordinate with the commissioner to update the material and resources. The 
5.17 	commissioner must make all reasonable efforts to make the recommended materials publicly 
5.18 	available on the department's website by September 1, 2025, and in coordination with the 
5.19 	working group, must update the materials and resources; and
5.20 	(8) by November 15, 2025, submit to the chairs and ranking minority members of the 
5.21 	committees of the senate and the house of representatives with primary jurisdiction over 
5.22 	kindergarten through grade 12 education policy and finance a report containing a list of 
5.23 	resources and materials provided to the commissioner of education for the commissioner 
5.24 	to make available to public school districts implementing requirements for education on 
5.25 	the Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous Peoples, and other genocides.
5.26 	(b) The working group may:
5.27 	(1) conduct a survey of the current state of education on the Holocaust, genocide of 
5.28 	Indigenous Peoples, and other genocides in Minnesota public school districts with a focus 
5.29 	on teacher preparedness, access and utilization of resources, and additional surveys of the 
5.30 	state of education on the Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous Peoples, and other genocides 
5.31 	following the conclusion of the 2024-2025 school year;
6.1 	(2) carry out any other tasks that it considers pertinent to support the ability of teachers 
6.2 	and public school district staff to facilitate the successful implementation of education 
6.3 	requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.25; and
6.4 	(3) apply for and accept grants and receive gifts, donations, and other financial support 
6.5 	from private sources for the purposes of carrying out its work under this section.
6.6 		Subd. 3.Working group meetings and compensation. (a) The working group must 
6.7 	convene on at least a bimonthly basis and must hold the first meeting no later than September 
6.8 	1, 2024.
6.9 	(b) Members of the working group shall receive a stipend of $500 per month for their 
6.10 	time, work, and expertise.
6.11 		Subd. 4.Administration. The commissioner must provide meeting space and technical 
6.12 	assistance for the working group.
6.13 		Subd. 5.Expiration. This section expires November 15, 2025, or the date upon which 
6.14 	the working group report required under subdivision 2 is submitted to the legislature, 
6.15 	whichever is later.

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

6.17 	Sec. 3. APPROPRIATIONS.
 6.18 		Subdivision 1.Department of Education. The sums indicated in this section are 
6.19 	appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Education for the fiscal years 
6.20 	designated.
6.21 		Subd. 2.Working Group on Education on the Holocaust, Genocide of Indigenous 
6.22 	Peoples, and Other Genocides. For the Working Group on Education on the Holocaust, 
6.23 	Genocide of Indigenous Peoples, and Other Genocides under section 2:

6.24		$
	.......
	.....
	2024
	
6.25		$
	.......
	.....
	2025
	
6.26 	Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in the second year.
6.27 		Subd. 3.Implementation of education on the Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous 
6.28 	Peoples, and other genocides. For implementation of requirements for education on the 
6.29 	Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous Peoples, and other genocides under Minnesota Statutes, 
6.30 	section 120B.25:

7.1		$
	.......
	.....
	2024
	
7.2		$
	.......
	.....
	2025
	
7.3 	The base for fiscal year 2026 is $........
7.4 		Subd. 4.Professional learning grants for education on the Holocaust, genocide of 
7.5 	Indigenous Peoples, and other genocides. (a) For grants to fund professional learning 
7.6 	opportunities and resources for educators and public school district staff to facilitate the 
7.7 	successful implementation of education requirements for education on the Holocaust, 
7.8 	genocide of Indigenous Peoples, and other genocides under Minnesota Statutes, section 
7.9 	120B.25:

7.10		$
	$75,000
	.......
	2024
	
7.11		$
	$75,000
	.......
	2025
	
7.12 	(b) The grants must be awarded by the commissioner for professional learning 
7.13 	opportunities and resources recommended by the Working Group on Education on the 
7.14 	Holocaust, Genocide of Indigenous Peoples, and Other Genocides established under section 
7.15 	2.
7.16 	(c) The base for fiscal year 2026 is $75,000.