S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                   792

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                             January 7, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER, ROBINSON, LUPARDO, ENGLEBRIGHT, ROBERTS,
  JAFFEE,  PERRY,  CROUCH  --  Multi-Sponsored  by  -- M. of A. BARCLAY,
  FINCH, HAWLEY, McDONOUGH, RIVERA, SALADINO, TITONE --  read  once  and
  referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation

AN ACT creating a legislative task force on outdoor environmental educa-
  tion  and  recreation that will benefit residents of New York state by
  stewardship and conservation of the environment,  an  appreciation  of
  the  importance  of  the  wise  use  of  natural  resources as well as
  acknowledgment of the health benefits of time spent in nature

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Legislative findings. (a) The legislature hereby finds that
in the last two decades, childhood has moved indoors. The average Ameri-
can  boy  or girl spends just four to seven minutes each day in unstruc-
tured outdoor play, and more than seven hours each day in  front  of  an
electronic  screen.  The  decline  in the appreciation and prevalence of
outdoor recreation opportunities profoundly impacts the wellness of  our
state's  youth.  The  correlation  between  increasing childhood obesity
rates and the decline in outdoor recreation is undeniable.
  (b) The legislature further finds that visual and physical  access  to
basic  types of open space is vital for everyone, and particularly valu-
able to children growing up in "urban hardscapes", or areas where access
to nature is limited.
  (c) The legislature further finds that  the  development  of  policies
that  foster  stewardship of the environment, the importance of the wise
use of natural resources and recognition of the health benefits of  time
spent  in  nature  are essential to the residents of New York state. The
legislature concludes that this can best be accomplished by the creation
of a task force on outdoor environmental education and recreation.
  S 2. Objectives. A legislative task  force  on  outdoor  environmental
education and recreation is hereby established to:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD00981-01-5
              

A. 792                              2

  (a)  Promote  the development of a framework that will ensure that New
York state has an aggressive outdoor environmental education and  recre-
ation plan for children that focuses on creating, developing and retain-
ing opportunities for outdoor play and learning;
  (b)  Identify  and  support  programs  which offer safe access to open
spaces and summer camp to children from urban areas;
  (c) Promote the development of policy recommendations to  ensure  that
New  York's  public  and private sectors focus on creating opportunities
for underserved and at-risk children to participate in outdoor play  and
educational experiences;
  (d)  Promote  the development of strategies to ensure that K-12 educa-
tional institutions develop policies and programs that promote  environ-
mental  education  to  encourage  outdoor  play thereby improving public
health and take advantage of the physical, mental and spiritual benefits
of moving outdoors in nature;
  (e) Promote the development of strategies to assist  community  based,
nonprofit  organizations  in furthering programs that provide for summer
camp and out of school time  opportunities  for  outdoor  recreation  or
education;
  (f)  Evaluate  laws, rules, and procedures to ensure that they facili-
tate, or at least do not hinder, the growth of outdoor play or  environ-
mental education.
  S  3. Composition. The task force shall consist of twelve members. The
task force members will have experience and expertise in outdoor  recre-
ation and environmental education. The task force shall consist of:  the
commissioner  of  education  or his or her designee, the commissioner of
health or his or her designee, the commissioner of environmental conser-
vation or his or her designee, the commissioner of the office of  parks,
recreation  and historic preservation or his or her designee. One member
shall be a representative from a nonprofit health and wellness organiza-
tion. One member shall be a representative  from  a  nonprofit  environ-
mental conservation organization.  Two members shall be appointed by the
governor;  one  member to be appointed by the temporary president of the
senate; one member to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
one member to be appointed by the  speaker  of  the  assembly;  and  one
member  to be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly. The task
force shall be appointed for a term of two years.
  S 4. Report. The task force shall report its findings, conclusions and
recommendations to the governor, majority leader of the senate  and  the
speaker  of  the assembly by January 1, 2018. The task force may develop
and publish other documents throughout the year as  it  deems  necessary
and/or appropriate.
  S 5. This act shall take effect immediately.