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HSB 97

A bill for an act relating to reference to certain specified natural formations in classroom instruction and handouts provided to students enrolled in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Require replacement of Gulf of Mexico with Gulf of America and Denali with Mount McKinley in all classroom instruction and handouts.

Subcommittee recommends passage.
#charterschools #curricula #education #geography #innovationzoneschools #names #schooldistricts
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Bill Summary · HSB 97

Summary: HSB 97 – Reference to certain natural formations in classroom instruction and handouts

Overview

  • Bill number: HSB 97
  • Title: A bill for an act relating to reference to certain specified natural formations in classroom instruction and handouts provided to students enrolled in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools
  • Purpose: To require school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to replace certain geographic references in all classroom instruction and student handouts.
  • Status: Subcommittee recommends passage
  • Introduced: January 28, 2025
  • Primary focus: Education curricula and naming conventions for geographic features

What the bill would do

  • Add requirements that replace specific geographic terms in instructional content with alternative names:
    • Replace references to the “Gulf of Mexico” with the “Gulf of America.”
    • Replace references to “Denali” with “Mount McKinley.”
  • These replacements would apply to all classroom instruction and handouts provided to students in the affected entities (school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools).
  • The bill directs compliance with a separate provision (section 279.87) that governs these replacements.

Key provisions

  • Section 256E.7(2) (Code 2025): Adds a new paragraph mandating compliance with section 279.87 for replacing “Gulf of Mexico” with “Gulf of America” and “Denali” with “Mount McKinley” in classroom instruction and handouts.
  • Section 256F.4(2) (Code 2025): Adds a new paragraph mirroring the same compliance requirement for charter schools and related entities.
  • New Section 279.87: Establishes the specific replacement requirements:
    • In all classroom instruction and handouts, replace “Gulf of Mexico” with “Gulf of America.”
    • In all classroom instruction and handouts, replace “Denali” with “Mount McKinley.”

Who would be affected

  • School districts
  • Charter schools
  • Innovation zone schools
  • Students and educators within these entities (through updated instructional materials and handouts)

Implementation and timeline considerations

  • Effective language indicates statewide applicability to classroom content and student materials once enacted.
  • Legislative actions:
    • 2025-01-28: Introduced and referred to Education
    • 2025-01-28: Subcommittee appointed (Henderson, Bradley, Madison)
    • 2025-01-30: Subcommittee meeting scheduled
    • 2025-02-03: Subcommittee recommends passage
  • If enacted, districts would need to update curricula, lesson plans, and handouts to reflect the new terminology.

Notes and context

  • The inclusion in the Explanation section clarifies that the bill targets references to the Gulf of Mexico and Denali specifically, replacing them with Gulf of America and Mount McKinley.
  • The bill does not provide broader justification within the text provided; it focuses on the named terminology changes and the compliance mechanism via section 279.87.

Bottom line

HSB 97 would require districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to swap the terms Gulf of Mexico for Gulf of America and Denali for Mount McKinley in all classroom instruction and student handouts, with enforcement through a dedicated compliance section. The Subcommittee has recommended passage as of the latest action.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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