Connecticut HB 5328: AN ACT CONCERNING THE ADMISSIBILITY OF ADMISSIONS, CONFESSIONS AND STATEMENTS BY CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5328
February Session, 2026

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS ANTI-
MUSLIM AND ANTI-ARAB RACISM IN SCHOOLS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a 1
working group to address anti-Muslim and anti-Arab racism in public 2
schools. The working group shall develop guidance and resources to 3
address issues relating to anti-Muslim and anti-Arab racism that affect 4
students, families, educators and school personnel. Such guidance and 5
resources may include, but need not be limited to, (1) suggested 6
amendments to school district policies to ensure that all students, 7
educators and school personnel feel safe inside and outside of the school 8
setting, (2) recommended training relating to anti-Muslim and anti-9
Arab racism for educators and administrators, and (3) guidance in the 10
creation or provision of curriculum materials and resources relating to 11
Islamic and Arab studies, pursuant to the provisions of section 10-16b 12
of the general statutes, and genocide education and awareness, 13
pursuant to the provisions of section 10-18f of the general statutes, 14
including, but not limited to, the history, heritage, contributions and 15
persecution of Muslim communities. 16
(b) The working group shall consist of the following members: 17
(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 18

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one of whom shall be a school administrator with expertise and 19
knowledge in developing and implementing curricula in public schools 20
in the state, and one of whom shall be a representative of the 21
Connecticut chapter of the Muslim Justice Center; 22
(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of 23
whom shall have knowledge and national and local expertise and 24
experience in developing innovative and collaborative resources to 25
address anti-Muslim and anti-Arab racism in elementary and secondary 26
schools, and one of whom shall be a representative of the Connecticut 27
chapter of Muslim Advocacy for Rights, Unity and Fairness; 28
(3) Two appointed by the majority leader of the House of 29
Representatives, who shall be teachers with professional knowledge 30
and proven experience in addressing and combatting anti-Muslim or 31
anti-Arab racism in public schools, one of whom shall be a member of 32
the American Federation of Teachers-Connecticut and one of whom 33
shall be a member of the Connecticut Education Association; 34
(4) Two appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be 35
faculty members of an institution of higher education with expertise in 36
curriculum development and knowledge and experience in addressing 37
anti-Muslim and anti-Arab racism and teaching Muslim heritage, one of 38
whom shall be a member of the Congress of Connecticut Community 39
Colleges, SEIU Local 1973, and one of whom shall be a member of the 40
Connecticut State Conference of the American Association of University 41
Professors; 42
(5) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of 43
Representatives, one of whom shall have experience in school 44
administration and expertise in addressing and combatting anti-Muslim 45
and anti-Arab racism in public schools, and one of whom shall be a 46
parent of a Muslim student in the state; 47
(6) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, one of whom 48
shall have professional experience addressing anti-Muslim and anti-49
Arab racism in the state, and one of whom shall be a Muslim student in 50

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the state; 51
(7) Two appointed by the Governor, one of whom shall be a 52
representative of the Connecticut chapter of the Council on American 53
Islamic Relations, and one of whom shall be a representative of the 54
Muslim Coalition of Connecticut; 55
(8) The executive director of the Connecticut Association of Boards of 56
Education, or the executive director's designee; 57
(9) The executive director of the Connecticut Association of Public 58
School Superintendents, or the executive director's designee; 59
(10) The president of the Connecticut Education Association, or the 60
president's designee; and 61
(11) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee. 62
(c) All initial appointments to the working group shall be made not 63
later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy 64
shall be filled by the appointing authority. 65
(d) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president 66
pro tempore of the Senate shall each select a cochairperson of the 67
working group from among the members of the working group. Such 68
cochairpersons shall jointly schedule the first meeting of the working 69
group, which shall be held not later than sixty days after the effective 70
date of this section. 71
(e) The administrative staff of the