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New York’s Governor Hochul Signs Legislation Improving Holocaust Education and Support for Survivors
by Dion J. Pierre
Governor Kathy Hochul speaks at a press conference in Midtown Manhattan on October 13, 2021, in New York City. Photo: John Lamparski/NurPhoto via Reuters Connect
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, has signed legislation improving Holocaust education and support for survivors.
On Wednesday, three bills were made state law during a signing ceremony attended by state lawmakers and Jewish advocacy groups.
“As New Yorkers, we are united in our solemn commitment to Holocaust survivors. We will never forget,” Hochul said during her remarks.
One of the bills, Senate Bill S121B, tasks the New York State Education Department with assessing whether schools are meeting standards on Holocaust education established by previous legislation passed in 1994. Another, Senate Bill 117A, mandates that museums label pieces of art stolen from Jewish families during the Holocaust with a notice explaining their provenance.
“I’m going to make sure for starts that our schools are properly teaching about the Holocaust, as required by law,” Hochul said, adding that Bill 117A is another way to “involve Holocaust education to everyday lives.”
Senate Bill 8318 orders the New York State Department of Financial Services to issue a list of financial institutions that waive fees for Holocaust survivors receiving reparations, a move aimed to make the practice more widespread in the future.
“We can’t heal the trauma that elderly Holocaust survivors have endured, but we can take steps to help them make ends meet,” said State Senator Zellnor Myrie, who also spoke on Wednesday. “I encourage all state-chartered banks to voluntarily waive these transaction fees for survivors and look forward to seeing them on the state’s list next year.”
In 2021, New York had the most antisemitic incidents —416, according to the Anti-Defamation League — in the United States. In June, Governor Hochul spoke at AJC’s annual Global Forum, where she pledged to address the problem. She noted on Wednesday that the number of antisemitic incidents recorded in 2022, 571, has already exceeded last year’s.
“We have long championed robust Holocaust education and are thrilled to see these bills signed into law,” the group tweeted.
Governor Hochul on Wednesday, emphasized her commitment to fighting antisemitism, saying, “As long as I have a breath in my body, I will stand to protect this community and honor the story and the people that had to endure the Holocaust.”
