Committee designates last full week of January as Holocaust Education Week, urges State Board to notify districts

Senator Dodson presented SB 68 as a brief, two-paragraph bill that would designate Holocaust Education Week as the last full week of January and direct the State Board of Education to notify districts which calendar week that is. Sponsor emphasized the bill "is simply to designate Holocaust Education Week as the last full week of January" and that no mandate is being added for districts.

Steve Ronnell of Little Rock testified on behalf of the Holocaust Education Living Proposal Committee, telling the committee the timing is appropriate because Jan. 27 is the 78th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and is the United Nations'designated International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Ronnell said designating the last full week of instruction in January provides a platform for teachers to comply with an existing law requiring Holocaust instruction.

Senator Leddy asked whether the bill would conflict with the governor's executive order on banning CRT in K'12 schools; a committee member responded, "Not that I'm aware of." No public opposition was recorded in the transcript.

The committee moved and passed SB 68 by voice vote.

What happens next: The bill was advanced out of committee; the transcript records a voice vote in favor but no roll-call tally.