Bill Text: NY S04781 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires the commissioner of education to make recommendations to the board of regents relating to adjusting curricula for social studies, economics, geography, and government classes to include climate change education.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-05 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION [S04781 Detail]
Download: New_York-2021-S04781-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4781 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN SENATE February 11, 2021 ___________ 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 adjusting curricula for certain classes to include climate change education 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 adjusting curricula for social studies, economics, 5 geography, and government classes in New York schools to include 6 requirements for climate change education. 7 b. Such instruction requirements shall include, but not be limited to, 8 instruction on: 9 (i) the social, cultural, and political impacts of climate change; 10 (ii) the global effects of climate change; 11 (iii) global efforts to address climate change, including citizen-led 12 activism from around the world; 13 (iv) the disproportionate impact of climate change on particular 14 communities, including communities of color and New York's Native Ameri- 15 can communities; 16 (v) climate denialism; and 17 (vi) any other instruction or methods of instruction relating to 18 climate change the commissioner deems necessary. 19 c. Prior to making the recommendations to the board of regents, the 20 commissioner shall seek input from leaders in disadvantaged communities, 21 Native American communities, youth organizations, and the climate 22 justice working group established pursuant to section 75-0111 of the 23 environmental conservation law. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD09099-01-1S. 4781 2 1 d. No later than one hundred eighty days after the effective date of 2 this subdivision, the commissioner shall provide a recommendation to the 3 board of regents to either adopt and promulgate appropriate rules and 4 regulations implementing such curricula, or reject the implementation of 5 such curricula. Upon receiving a recommendation from the commissioner, 6 pursuant to this subdivision, the board of regents shall vote to either 7 accept or reject the commissioner's recommendation no later than sixty 8 days after receiving such recommendation. 9 e. If the board of regents adopts such curricula, the curricula 10 requirement shall take effect no later than the next school year after 11 such curricula have been adopted. 12 f. If the board of regents rejects such curricula, the commissioner 13 shall provide a report as to the determination of the board to the 14 governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the 15 assembly, and the chairs of the senate and assembly committees on educa- 16 tion providing the reasons for such rejection not later than thirty days 17 after the board of regents rejects such curricula. 18 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
