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.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
287
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE(Prefiled)
January 4, 2023
___________
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 60 to read as follows:
3 60. 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
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00473-01-3
S. 287 2
1 justice working group established pursuant to section 75-0111 of the
2 environmental conservation law.
3 d. No later than one hundred eighty days after the effective date of
4 this subdivision, the commissioner shall provide a recommendation to the
5 board of regents to either adopt and promulgate appropriate rules and
6 regulations implementing such curricula, or reject the implementation of
7 such curricula. Upon receiving a recommendation from the commissioner,
8 pursuant to this subdivision, the board of regents shall vote to either
9 accept or reject the commissioner's recommendation no later than sixty
10 days after receiving such recommendation.
11 e. If the board of regents adopts such curricula, the curricula
12 requirement shall take effect no later than the next school year after
13 such curricula have been adopted.
14 f. If the board of regents rejects such curricula, the commissioner
15 shall provide a report as to the determination of the board to the
16 governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the
17 assembly, and the chairs of the senate and assembly committees on educa-
18 tion providing the reasons for such rejection not later than thirty days
19 after the board of regents rejects such curricula.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
