HB 1572-S2.E - DIGEST

(DIGEST AS ENACTED)

     Declares an intent to develop a grant program to fund public educational activities and development of educational materials to ensure that the events surrounding the exclusion, forced removal, and internment of civilians and permanent resident aliens of Japanese ancestry will be remembered, and so that the causes and circumstances of this and similar events may be illuminated and understood.

     Establishes the Washington civil liberties public education program.  The program provides grants for the purpose of establishing a legacy of remembrance as part of a continuing process of recovery from the World War II exclusion and detention of individuals of Japanese ancestry.  The program is created to do one or both of the following:  (1) Educate the public regarding the history and the lessons of the World War II exclusion, removal, and detention of persons of Japanese ancestry through the development, coordination, and distribution of new educational materials and the development of curriculum materials to complement and augment resources currently available on this subject matter; and

     (2) develop videos, plays, presentations, speaker bureaus, and exhibitions for presentation to elementary schools, secondary schools, community colleges, and to other interested parties.

     Provides that, on or before January 1, 2002, the superintendent of public instruction shall report to the governor and the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of each house of the legislature on the types of grants awarded and the accomplishments of the program established under this act.