The new state regulation, signed into law by Governor Hochul, requires museums to instal placards or other signage alongside works on view that were looted by the Nazis during the Second World War.
Details of the law including its full text are set out below, taken from the New York State Senate website at https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/S117
SIGNED BY GOVERNOR2021-2022 Legislative Session
Relates to notice by museums of art stolen during the Nazi era in Europe
(D, IP, WF) 7TH SENATE DISTRICT
(D, WF) 34TH SENATE DISTRICT
(D) 17TH SENATE DISTRICT
(R, C) 42ND SENATE DISTRICT
Requires museums to post a notice with the display of any art stolen during the Nazi era in Europe.
BILL NUMBER: S117A
SPONSOR: KAPLAN
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to notice of art stolen
during the Nazi era in Europe
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To require museums with works of art stolen during the Nazi era in
Europe to display a placard or other signage acknowledging such informa-
tion
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Amends section 233-aa of the education law by requiring museums with
identifiable works of art that were stolen during Nazi era Europe to the
extent practicable prominently place a placard or other signage acknowl-
edging such information along with the display
JUSTIFICATION:
During World War II, the Nazis looted some 600,000 paintings from Jews.
The looting was not only designed to enrich the Third Reich but also
integral to the Holocaust's goal of eliminating all vestiges of Jewish
identity and culture. Many museums now display this stolen art with no
recognition of their provenance. New York state law already requires
that a copy of all notices required by this section pertaining to prop-
erty in the form of identifiable works of art known to have been created
before nineteen hundred forty-five and to have changed hands in Europe
during the Nazi era (1933-1945) shall be sent to The Art Loss Register.
Museums should be transparent with this information and display it along
with any stolen art piece.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
S. 7808/A. 9679; Referred to Senate Education Committee
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
117--A
Cal. No. 669
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
(PREFILED)
January 6, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sen. KAPLAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Education -- recommitted
to the Committee on Education in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8
-- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first report,
amended on first report, ordered to a second report and ordered
reprinted, retaining its place in the order of second report
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to notice of art stolen
during the Nazi era in Europe
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 233-aa of the education law is amended by adding a
new subdivision 15 to read as follows:
15. EVERY MUSEUM WHICH HAS ON DISPLAY ANY IDENTIFIABLE WORKS OF ART
KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN CREATED BEFORE NINETEEN HUNDRED FORTY-FIVE AND WHICH
CHANGED HANDS DUE TO THEFT, SEIZURE, CONFISCATION, FORCED SALE OR OTHER
INVOLUNTARY MEANS IN EUROPE DURING THE NAZI ERA (NINETEEN HUNDRED THIR-
TY-THREE--NINETEEN HUNDRED FORTY-FIVE) SHALL, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE,
PROMINENTLY PLACE A PLACARD OR OTHER SIGNAGE ACKNOWLEDGING SUCH INFORMA-
TION ALONG WITH SUCH DISPLAY.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03330-03-2