Assembly Bill A10966

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10966
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              April 14, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. GRAY -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education  law,  in  relation  to  establishing  the
   advanced  nuclear  energy  workforce  development  commission  and the
   advanced nuclear energy workforce development program
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The education law is amended by adding a new article 168-A
 to read as follows:
                               ARTICLE 168-A
           ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
 SECTION 8857. DEFINITIONS.
         8858. ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY WORKFORCE  DEVELOPMENT  COMMISSION
                 AND PROGRAM.
   § 8857. DEFINITIONS. WHEREVER USED IN THIS ARTICLE:
   1.  "COMMISSION"  SHALL  MEAN  THE  ADVANCED  NUCLEAR ENERGY WORKFORCE
 DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
   2. "PROGRAM" SHALL MEAN THE ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOP-
 MENT PROGRAM.
   3. "INDUSTRY EXPERT" SHALL  MEAN  A  PERSON  WITH  EXPERIENCE  IN  THE
 CONSTRUCTION,  OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF NUCLEAR REACTORS, INCLUDING
 BUT NOT LIMITED TO SMALL MODULAR REACTORS.
   4. "INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION" SHALL MEAN COLLEGES AND  UNIVER-
 SITIES  OPERATED BY THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK OR THE CITY UNIVER-
 SITY OF NEW YORK.
   5. "INSTITUTIONS OF CAREER EDUCATION" SHALL MEAN SCHOOLS  OPERATED  BY
 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND EXTENSION BOARDS.
   §  8858.  ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND
 PROGRAM. 1. THERE IS HEREBY CREATED THE ADVANCED  NUCLEAR  ENERGY  WORK-
 FORCE  DEVELOPMENT  COMMISSION.  THE  COMMISSION  SHALL  CONSIST  OF THE
 COMMISSIONER, OR THEIR DESIGNEE, THE CHANCELLOR OF THE STATE  UNIVERSITY
 OF NEW YORK, OR THEIR DESIGNEE, THE CHANCELLOR OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF
 NEW YORK, OR THEIR DESIGNEE, AND THREE INDUSTRY EXPERTS APPOINTED BY THE
 GOVERNOR  WHO  SHALL  SERVE  A  TERM  OF  FIVE YEARS. ALL MEMBERS OF THE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD13884-02-5
 A. 10966                            2
 
 COMMISSION SHALL SERVE WITHOUT COMPENSATION BUT MAY  BE  REIMBURSED  FOR
 TRAVEL EXPENSES RELATED TO THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION.
   2.  THE  COMMISSION SHALL ESTABLISH AND ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM AUTHOR-
 IZED UNDER THIS ARTICLE FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADDRESSING URGENT AND SKILLED
 LABOR DEMANDS IN THE ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY INDUSTRY IN THIS STATE.
   3. UNDER THE PROGRAM, THE COMMISSION SHALL:
   (A) CREATE A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR:
   (I) ADDRESSING LABOR SUPPLY GAPS AND SKILL GAP ISSUES IN THE  ADVANCED
 NUCLEAR ENERGY INDUSTRY; AND
   (II)  PROVIDING GRANTS AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING THROUGH THE
 CREATION OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH PUBLIC AGENCIES,  PRIVATE  ENTI-
 TIES,  AND ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS, TO INCENTIVIZE
 AND SUPPORT:
   (1) THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAMMING AND OUTREACH  EFFORTS  DESIGNED  TO
 CREATE  AWARENESS  OF  NUCLEAR  SCIENCE  AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE
 FIELD OF ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY AMONG STUDENTS;
   (2) THE CREATION OF ACADEMIC PATHWAYS FROM INSTITUTIONS  OF  SECONDARY
 EDUCATION  AND  TO  EDUCATION  AND  TRAINING PROGRAMS AT INSTITUTIONS OF
 HIGHER EDUCATION AND INSTITUTIONS OF CAREER EDUCATION IN  THE  FIELD  OF
 ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY;
   (3) THE CREATION OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS IN THE FIELD OF ADVANCED NUCLEAR
 ENERGY  BY  INSTITUTIONS  OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND INSTITUTIONS OF CAREER
 EDUCATION; AND
   (4) RESEARCH AND LEADERSHIP  DEVELOPMENT  IN  THE  FIELD  OF  ADVANCED
 NUCLEAR ENERGY AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION; AND
   (B)  DEVELOP CUSTOMIZED CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS FOR DEGREE AND CERTIF-
 ICATE PROGRAMS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR CAREERS IN THE  ADVANCED  NUCLEAR
 ENERGY INDUSTRY, THAT MAY BE OFFERED BY INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
 AND  INSTITUTIONS OF CAREER EDUCATION. IN DEVELOPING THE CURRICULUM, THE
 COMMISSION SHALL FOCUS ON DEVELOPING PROGRAMS LEADING  TO  JOBS  IN  THE
 AREAS OF:
   (I) NUCLEAR-GRADE WELDING;
   (II) RADIOLOGICAL CONTROL AND MONITORING;
   (III) REACTOR OPERATIONS;
   (IV) NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL; AND
   (V) NUCLEAR ENGINEERING.
   4.  NO  LATER THAN DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST OF EACH YEAR BEGINNING IN THE
 YEAR TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, THE COMMISSION SHALL DELIVER A  REPORT  TO
 THE  GOVERNOR  AND  THE  LEGISLATURE  ON  THE STATUS AND EFFICACY OF THE
 PROGRAM.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.