a. The 2010 United States Census estimated that there were approximately 17.3 million Asian Americans residing in the United States, or roughly 5.6 percent of the nation’s population, with the largest subgroups being Chinese Americans, Filipino Americans, Indian Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Korean Americans, and Japanese Americans.

b. According to the census, almost three-quarters of all Asian Americans live in just 10 states (California, New York, Texas, New Jersey, Hawaii, Illinois, Washington, Florida, Virginia, and Pennsylvania). In fact, only two states, Hawaii and California, had a higher percentage of Asian Americans in their total populations than New Jersey.

c. By 2016, in its estimate of the nation’s population, the census bureau estimated that the population of Asian Americans had grown to approximately 21 million.

d. New Jersey is home to a significant number of people of Asian descent. According to the most recent American Community Survey, the Asian population of New Jersey is 9.4 percent of the total population of the State, significantly higher than the national percentage.

e. The histories of our nation and our State have been significantly enriched by the heritage of people of Asian descent. Our nation and our State have benefitted substantially from the influences and contributions of these men, women, and children and their culture, history, and heritage.

f. It is desirable to educate our citizens about the positive aspects of the culture, music, art, language, history, and people of Asian heritage.

g. It is the policy of the State of New Jersey that the culture, history, and heritage of people of Asian descent are a proper concern for all people, particularly students enrolled in the schools of the State.

h. It is appropriate and desirable that programs, workshops, institutes, seminars, and other teacher-training activities for the study of the culture, history, and heritage of people of Asian descent be conducted at the high schools and institutions of higher education in this State.

i. It is fitting and proper to establish a permanent State-level commission to survey, design, encourage, and promote the implementation of Asian or Asian American cultural and educational programs in this State, with responsibility for the coordination of events that will provide appropriate awareness and memorialization of the culture, history, heritage, and language of people of Asian or Asian American descent on a regular basis throughout the State.

L.2021, c.410, s.1