Senate Bill S4781

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4781
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             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:
 
   Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 59 to read as follows:
   59.  A.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD OF
 REGENTS RELATING TO ADJUSTING CURRICULA FOR SOCIAL  STUDIES,  ECONOMICS,
 GEOGRAPHY,  AND  GOVERNMENT  CLASSES  IN  NEW  YORK  SCHOOLS  TO INCLUDE
 REQUIREMENTS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION.
   B. SUCH INSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO,
 INSTRUCTION ON:
   (I) THE SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND POLITICAL IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE;
   (II) THE GLOBAL EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE;
   (III) GLOBAL EFFORTS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE, INCLUDING  CITIZEN-LED
 ACTIVISM FROM AROUND THE WORLD;
   (IV)  THE  DISPROPORTIONATE  IMPACT  OF  CLIMATE  CHANGE ON PARTICULAR
 COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND NEW YORK'S NATIVE AMERI-
 CAN COMMUNITIES;
   (V) CLIMATE DENIALISM; AND
   (VI) ANY OTHER INSTRUCTION  OR  METHODS  OF  INSTRUCTION  RELATING  TO
 CLIMATE CHANGE THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS NECESSARY.
   C.  PRIOR  TO  MAKING THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS, THE
 COMMISSIONER SHALL SEEK INPUT FROM LEADERS IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES,
 NATIVE  AMERICAN  COMMUNITIES,  YOUTH  ORGANIZATIONS,  AND  THE  CLIMATE
 JUSTICE  WORKING  GROUP  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT TO SECTION 75-0111 OF THE
 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION LAW.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD09099-01-1

 S. 4781                             2
 
   D. NO LATER THAN ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF
 THIS SUBDIVISION, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE
 BOARD  OF  REGENTS  TO EITHER ADOPT AND PROMULGATE APPROPRIATE RULES AND
 REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTING SUCH CURRICULA, OR REJECT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
 SUCH  CURRICULA.  UPON RECEIVING A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSIONER,
 PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION, THE BOARD OF REGENTS SHALL VOTE TO  EITHER
 ACCEPT  OR  REJECT THE COMMISSIONER'S RECOMMENDATION NO LATER THAN SIXTY
 DAYS AFTER RECEIVING SUCH RECOMMENDATION.
   E. IF THE BOARD  OF  REGENTS  ADOPTS  SUCH  CURRICULA,  THE  CURRICULA
 REQUIREMENT  SHALL  TAKE EFFECT NO LATER THAN THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR AFTER
 SUCH CURRICULA HAVE BEEN ADOPTED.
   F. IF THE BOARD OF REGENTS REJECTS SUCH  CURRICULA,  THE  COMMISSIONER
 SHALL  PROVIDE  A  REPORT  AS  TO  THE DETERMINATION OF THE BOARD TO THE
 GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE  SENATE,  THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE
 ASSEMBLY, AND THE CHAIRS OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES ON EDUCA-
 TION PROVIDING THE REASONS FOR SUCH REJECTION NOT LATER THAN THIRTY DAYS
 AFTER THE BOARD OF REGENTS REJECTS SUCH CURRICULA.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.