Effective 28 Aug 2019

161.700. Citation of law — commission created, members — holocaust defined — executive director may be employed. — 1. This section shall be known as the "Holocaust Education and Awareness Commission Act".

2. There is hereby created a permanent state commission known as the "Holocaust Education and Awareness Commission". The commission shall be housed in the department of elementary and secondary education and shall promote implementation of holocaust education and awareness programs in Missouri in order to encourage understanding of the holocaust and discourage bigotry.

3. The commission shall be composed of twelve members to be appointed by the governor with advice and consent of the senate. The makeup of the commission shall be:

(1) The commissioner of higher education;

(2) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education;

(3) The president of the University of Missouri system; and

(4) Nine members of the public, representative of the diverse religious and ethnic heritage groups populating Missouri.

4. The holocaust education and awareness commission may receive such funds as appropriated from public moneys or contributed to it by private sources. It may sponsor programs or publications to educate the public about the crimes of genocide in an effort to deter indifference to crimes against humanity and human suffering wherever they occur.

5. The term "holocaust" shall be defined as the period from 1933 through 1945 when six million Jews and millions of others were murdered by Nazi Germany and its collaborators as part of a structured, state-sanctioned program of genocide.

6. The commission may employ an executive director and such other persons to carry out its functions.

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(L. 2006 S.B. 1189, A.L. 2019 H.B. 266 merged with H.B. 604)