Senate Bill S8556

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8556
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             October 29, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  GRIFFO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13884-02-5
              

 S. 8556                             2
 
 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
 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.