Requires signage be placed alongside art and artifacts, including art and artifacts created using metal materials used in the exchange for enslaved human captives, which were stolen during the transatlantic slave period and the domestic slave trade period, between the 16th and 19th centuries, with its peak between 1700 and 1870, indicating such information.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8192C
SPONSOR: Lucas TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring signage be
placed alongside cultural materials, including artwork and artifacts
stolen during the transatlantic slave period and the domestic slave
trade period, between the 16th and 19th centuries, with its peak between
1700 and 1870, indicating such cultural material was stolen and/or made
with materials used in the exchange for enslaved human captives
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To require signage to be placed alongside art stolen during the Transat-
lantic Slave period and during the Domestic Slave Trade period or
objects which are composed of in whole or in part of metal material
exchanged for human captives sold into the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one adds a new subdivision 16 to section 233- aa of the educa-
tion law, this subdivision requires museums that display any art, arti-
facts, or arts and artifacts that were made using any metal materials
that were used in the exchange for enslaved human captives during the
transatlantic salve period and through reconstruction to display such
information prominently on a placard with such display.
Section two sets and immediate effective date.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
This version provides technical changes to match similar statues in
existing law.
JUSTIFICATION:
It is impossible to put an exact number on how much artwork and cultural
materials are made with materials exchanged for enslaved captives, indi-
cating such artifacts were stolen and/ or made with materials exchanged
for enslaved captives which were stolen from slaves during the Transat-
lantic Slave period, causing an immense cultural and material loss.
Whether the art be stolen, seized, confiscated, forced sale or another
involuntary mean in Africa, involuntary mean in Africa and the United
States, it is crucial that the public knows where they came from and how
museums have them. This bill will give credit to the original creators
and paint a picture for the public of the conditions the artwork was
created in. This bill will also cover cultural materials composed in
whole or in part of metal or other material exchanged for human captives
sold into the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8192--C
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 5, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. LUCAS -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development -- recommitted to the
Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development in accordance
with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee --
again reported from said committee with amendments, ordered reprinted
as amended and recommitted to said committee -- again reported from
said committee with amendments, ordered reprinted as amended and
recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring signage be
placed alongside cultural materials, including artwork and artifacts
stolen during the transatlantic slave period and the domestic slave
trade period, between the 16th and 19th centuries, with its peak
between 1700 and 1870, indicating such cultural material was stolen
and/or made with materials used in the exchange for enslaved human
captives
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 233-aa of the education law is amended by adding a
2 new subdivision 16 to read as follows:
3 16. Every museum which has on display identifiable works of art and
4 artifacts, including such identifiable works of art and artifacts
5 created using metal materials used in the exchange for enslaved human
6 captives, known to have been created before nineteen hundred, that
7 changed hands due to theft, seizure, confiscation, forced sale or other
8 involuntary means in Africa or the United States during the transatlan-
9 tic slave period, through reconstruction (fifteen hundred -- eighteen
10 hundred seventy-seven) shall, to the extent practicable, prominently
11 place a placard or other signage acknowledging such information along
12 with such display.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11850-07-6
