Assemblyman Marenco Bill Requiring Latino & Hispanic History Lessons In NJ Schools Becomes Law

Legislation sponsored by North Bergen Assemblyman Julio Marenco, requiring New Jersey schools to provide lessons on Latino and Hispanic history, has been signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy.

The law requires the New Jersey State Board of Education to adopt new social studies learning standards that include sections on Latino and Hispanic history.   It also calls on local school boards to insert lessons on the same in their curriculums.  The legislation was co-sponsored by numerous legislators, including Hudson County Assembly persons Gabriel Rodriguez of West New York, Jessica Ramirez of Jersey City and William Sampson of Bayonne.

Assemblyman Marenco stated, “By integrating Latino and Hispanic American history into the core curriculum, we acknowledge the ever-evolving diversity of America and affirm the need for an education system that is not only equitable in knowledge but also instills pride in all of its students.”

“Through today’s bill signing, we are cementing the legacy of New Jersey’s Latino and Hispanic communities,” Murphy said in a statement. “By teaching students about their neighbors, we are raising a more informed next generation of future leaders in the Garden State.”

The law cleared the Senate unanimously.   There was only one no vote in the lower chamber from Monmouth County Republican Assemblyman Sean Kean.   The new law requires the Department of Education to provide sample learning activities that could be used to implement the requirement, which applies from kindergarten to 12th grade, and could appear as soon as the 2026-2027 school year.