Bill Text: NY A04876 | 2025-2026 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires that public schools provide instruction on climate change, including but not limited to identifying the causes and impacts of climate change on individuals, environments and communities, and learning to evaluate solutions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 32-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-07 - referred to education [A04876 Detail]

Download: New_York-2025-A04876-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          4876

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    February 7, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of  A. SIMON, COLTON, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, DE LOS SANTOS,
          R. CARROLL, ROSENTHAL, LUNSFORD, MAMDANI,  BICHOTTE HERMELYN,  SIMONE,
          SHRESTHA, TAYLOR, GALLAGHER, DINOWITZ, BURDICK, WEPRIN, ALVAREZ, DAVI-
          LA,  CHANDLER-WATERMAN,  CUNNINGHAM,  SHIMSKY,  REYES,  KELLES, TAPIA,
          BURKE, ROZIC, STECK, RAGA -- Multi-Sponsored by  --  M.  of  A.  COOK,
          SAYEGH, SEAWRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Educa-
          tion

        AN  ACT  to  amend  the  education law, in relation to interdisciplinary
          instruction on climate change

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 819 to
     2  read as follows:
     3    §  819.  Instruction  on  climate change. 1. Subject to appropriation,
     4  beginning with the two thousand  twenty-six--two  thousand  twenty-seven
     5  school  year,  every  public school shall provide instruction on climate
     6  change and such instruction may be  provided  through  interdisciplinary
     7  instruction,  where appropriate. Such instruction shall include, but not
     8  be limited to, identifying the causes and impacts of climate  change  on
     9  individuals,  environments  and  communities,  and  learning to evaluate
    10  solutions. Such instruction on climate change shall be in alignment with
    11  state learning standards, as appropriate.
    12    2. The department shall, subject to appropriation,  prepare  and  make
    13  available guidance and resources for educators including, but not limit-
    14  ed  to,  supports  for  school  districts to offer professional learning
    15  opportunities, that may be used to assist such educators in meeting  the
    16  requirements  of  this  section.  The  department shall also, subject to
    17  appropriation, provide technical assistance to school districts as  such
    18  school  districts transition their operations, including but not limited
    19  to facilities and transportation, to more energy efficient  and  climate
    20  friendly approaches.
    21    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD03181-01-5