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HR 8457

HOUSE RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING APRIL TO BE "HOLOCAUST & GENOCIDE AWARENESS MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mia Ackerman and 9 co-sponsors

Declares April as Holocaust & Genocide Awareness Month and urges educators to include lessons on past and ongoing genocides to reduce bigotry and injustice.

04/16/2026 House read and passed
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Bill Summary · HR 8457

Summary: House Resolution 8457 (Rhode Island, 2026)

Title

House Resolution proclaiming April to be “Holocaust & Genocide Awareness Month” in the State of Rhode Island

Purpose and intent

  • Formal declaration by the Rhode Island House of Representatives that April is “Holocaust & Genocide Awareness Month.”
  • Emphasizes the importance of educating students about past and ongoing genocides to prevent future atrocities and to combat bigotry and hatred.
  • Builds on Rhode Island’s prior commitments to Holocaust/genocide education (2016 legislation on Holocaust and genocide education for secondary schools and the creation of the RI Holocaust and Genocide Education Commission).

Key provisions

  • Proclamation: The Rhode Island House of Representatives declares April as Holocaust & Genocide Awareness Month.
  • Educational guidance: The resolution encourages Rhode Island history and social science educators to incorporate lessons on past and current genocides into their curriculums and classroom discussions.
  • Objectives of instruction: Aims to foster a new generation with insight and a pledge to eradicate bigotry, prejudice, brutality, and injustice.
  • Communications: Directs the Secretary of State to transmit certified copies of the resolution to:
    • Angélica Infante-Green, Commissioner of the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
    • The Rhode Island Holocaust and Genocide Education Commission

Who/what would be affected

  • Primary impact: Rhode Island students in public secondary education (via alignment with existing Holocaust and genocide education mandates).
  • Educators: History and social science teachers, through curricular integration during the month of April and potentially beyond.
  • State agencies and commissions: Departments and commissions involved in education oversight (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the RI Holocaust and Genocide Education Commission) receive formal notification and encouragement to integrate material.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status: Introduced and passed by the Rhode Island House on April 16, 2026.
  • Next steps: Resolution would typically be acknowledged by the Senate (if applicable) or adopted as cross-chamber sentiment; the practical effect is symbolic and educational, guiding curriculum discussions rather than mandating new statutory requirements.
  • Relationship to existing law: Builds on 2016 statute requiring Holocaust/genocide education and on the established Education Commission’s role in implementing such curriculum.

Significance

  • reinforces Rhode Island’s commitment to educating youth about the consequences of hatred and bigotry.
  • complements ongoing state efforts to ensure that students understand the history of the Holocaust and other genocides and are encouraged to promote inclusion and human rights.
  • serves as a formal recognition that April is a designated time for awareness and reflection on prevention of genocide.

If you’d like, I can compare this resolution to Rhode Island’s 2016 Holocaust/genocide education statute or provide a brief outline of the existing Commission’s duties and how this proclamation might influence its activities.

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

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