NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6215
SPONSOR: Palmesano (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the environmental conservation law and the education
law, in relation to hunting, fishing and outdoor education in high
school physical education courses
PURPOSE:
To promote instruction in physical education courses for grades nine
through twelve in hunting, fishing and outdoor education.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. promotes the distribution of information for grades nine
through twelve relating to hunting, fishing and outdoor education, in
consultation with the commissioner of education.
Section 2. provides instruction in the safe use of firearms and in the
game laws; hunting, fishing and outdoor education. Such courses of
instruction shall be approved by both the education department and the
department of environmental conservation. A public secondary school,
upon request of ten or more students enrolled in that school establish a
curriculum for hunting, fishing and outdoor education that will be
consistent with the courses required by the department of environmental
conservation for license applicants.
JUSTIFICATION:
To give grades nine through twelve outdoor opportunities for recreation
and exercise. To teach the history and benefits of hunting and fishing
in this state's development.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24 A.S420
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date
on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addi-
tion, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for
the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to
be made and completed on or before such effective date.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6215
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 27, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PALMESANO, BARCLAY, BLANKENBUSH, BRABENEC,
BROOK-KRASNY, BUTTENSCHON, HAWLEY, LEMONDES, MANKTELOW, MORINELLO,
NOVAKHOV, REILLY, SMULLEN, TAGUE -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
DiPIETRO, MILLER, WALSH -- read once and referred to the Committee on
Education
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law and the education
law, in relation to hunting, fishing and outdoor education in high
school physical education courses
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 3-0301 of the environmental
2 conservation law is amended by adding a new paragraph aa to read as
3 follows:
4 aa. Disseminate information relating to hunting, fishing and outdoor
5 education, in consultation with the commissioner of education, to
6 promote instruction in physical education courses for grades nine
7 through twelve in hunting, fishing and outdoor education. Such instruc-
8 tion shall include information on the:
9 (1) various hunting and fishing seasons;
10 (2) species that can be sought;
11 (3) necessary materials for obtaining hunting and fishing licenses;
12 (4) outdoor opportunities for recreation and exercise purposes; and
13 (5) history and benefits of hunting and fishing in this state's devel-
14 opment.
15 § 2. Section 809-a of the education law, as amended by chapter 442 of
16 the laws of 1977, is amended to read as follows:
17 § 809-a. Instruction in the safe use of firearms and in the game laws;
18 hunting, fishing and outdoor education. 1. The officer, board, or
19 commission authorized or required to prescribe courses of instructions
20 in any school under state control, may authorize instructions to be
21 given in the safe and proper use of firearms allowed by law to be used
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04532-01-5
A. 6215 2
1 in the taking of wild game, and may also authorize instructions to be
2 given in the study of game laws and of proper hunting and conservation
3 practices. Such courses of instruction shall be approved by both the
4 [education] department and the department of environmental conservation.
5 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a public secondary
6 school shall, upon the request of ten or more students enrolled in such
7 school, provide, as a component of such school's physical education
8 course, instruction in hunting, fishing and outdoor education, which
9 shall be consistent with the courses required by the department of envi-
10 ronmental conservation for license applicants. The commissioner, in
11 consultation with the commissioner of the department of environmental
12 conservation, shall establish a curriculum for the hunting, fishing and
13 outdoor education course, which shall include, but not be limited to,
14 instruction on:
15 (a) various hunting and fishing seasons;
16 (b) species that can be sought;
17 (c) the necessary materials for obtaining hunting and fishing
18 licenses;
19 (d) outdoor opportunities for recreation and exercise purposes; and
20 (e) history and benefits of hunting and fishing in this state's devel-
21 opment.
22 § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
23 the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
24 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
25 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized
26 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
