Bill Text: NY A11143 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires the commissioner of education to make recommendations to the board of regents relating to the adoption of instruction in climate science in senior high schools.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-11-06 - referred to education [A11143 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A11143-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          11143

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    November 6, 2020
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Frontus) --
          read once and referred to the Committee on Education

        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring the  commis-
          sioner  of  education  to make recommendations to the board of regents
          relating to the adoption of instruction in climate science  in  senior
          high schools

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

     1    Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
     2  subdivision 59 to read as follows:
     3    59. a. The commissioner shall make recommendations  to  the  board  of
     4  regents  relating  to  the adoption of instruction in climate science in
     5  senior high schools.
     6    b. Such instruction shall include, but not be limited to:
     7    (i) instruction on the effect and impact of greenhouse gasses  on  our
     8  climate, environment and planet;
     9    (ii) the use of the most recent source materials, text books and meth-
    10  odologies for teaching climate science;
    11    (iii)  instruction  on the limitations on greenhouse gas emissions and
    12  targets for renewable energy set forth in chapter one hundred six of the
    13  laws of two thousand nineteen; and
    14    (iv) any other instruction or methods of instruction relating  to  the
    15  study of climate science the commissioner deems necessary.
    16    c.  Prior  to  making the recommendations to the board of regents, the
    17  commissioner shall:
    18    (i) seek  the  recommendations  of  teachers,  school  administrators,
    19  teacher  educators and others with educational expertise in the proposed
    20  curriculum;
    21    (ii) seek comment from parents, students and other interested parties;
    22    (iii) consider the amount of instructional time such  curriculum  will
    23  require  and whether such time would detract from other mandated courses
    24  of study;
    25    (iv) consider the fiscal impact, if  any,  on  the  state  and  school
    26  districts; and

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD14329-02-9
        A. 11143                            2

     1    (v) consider any additional factors the commissioner deems relevant.
     2    d.  No  later than one hundred eighty days after the effective date of
     3  this subdivision, the commissioner shall provide a recommendation to the
     4  board of regents to either adopt and promulgate  appropriate  rules  and
     5  regulations implementing such curriculum or reject the implementation of
     6  such  curriculum. Upon receiving a recommendation from the commissioner,
     7  pursuant to this subdivision, the board of regents shall vote to  either
     8  accept  or  reject the commissioner's recommendation no later than sixty
     9  days after receiving such recommendation.
    10    e. If the board of regents  adopts  such  curriculum,  the  curriculum
    11  requirement  shall  take effect no later than the next school year after
    12  such curriculum has been adopted.
    13    f. If the board of regents rejects such curriculum,  the  commissioner
    14  shall  provide  a  report  as  to  the determination of the board to the
    15  governor, the temporary president of the  senate,  the  speaker  of  the
    16  assembly  and the chairs of the senate and assembly committees on educa-
    17  tion providing the reasons for such rejection not later than thirty days
    18  after the board of regents rejects such curriculum.
    19    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.