Bill Text: NY S00243 | 2023-2024 | 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) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION [S00243 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S00243-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                           243

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                       (Prefiled)

                                     January 4, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed 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 60 to read as follows:
     3    60. 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, textbooks 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;

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD00266-01-3
        S. 243                              2

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