S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                   11143
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             November 6, 2020
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Frontus) --
   read once and referred 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 the adoption of instruction in climate science  in  senior
   high schools

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 59 to read as follows:
   59. A. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS  TO  THE  BOARD  OF
 REGENTS  RELATING  TO  THE ADOPTION OF INSTRUCTION IN CLIMATE SCIENCE IN
 SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.
   B. SUCH INSTRUCTION SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (I) INSTRUCTION ON THE EFFECT AND IMPACT OF GREENHOUSE GASSES  ON  OUR
 CLIMATE, ENVIRONMENT AND PLANET;
   (II) THE USE OF THE MOST RECENT SOURCE MATERIALS, TEXT BOOKS AND METH-
 ODOLOGIES FOR TEACHING CLIMATE SCIENCE;
   (III)  INSTRUCTION  ON THE LIMITATIONS ON GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND
 TARGETS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SET FORTH IN CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIX OF THE
 LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN; AND
   (IV) ANY OTHER INSTRUCTION OR METHODS OF INSTRUCTION RELATING  TO  THE
 STUDY OF CLIMATE SCIENCE THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS NECESSARY.
   C.  PRIOR  TO  MAKING THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS, THE
 COMMISSIONER SHALL:
   (I) SEEK  THE  RECOMMENDATIONS  OF  TEACHERS,  SCHOOL  ADMINISTRATORS,
 TEACHER  EDUCATORS AND OTHERS WITH EDUCATIONAL EXPERTISE IN THE PROPOSED
 CURRICULUM;
   (II) SEEK COMMENT FROM PARENTS, STUDENTS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES;
   (III) CONSIDER THE AMOUNT OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME SUCH  CURRICULUM  WILL
 REQUIRE  AND WHETHER SUCH TIME WOULD DETRACT FROM OTHER MANDATED COURSES
 OF STUDY;
   (IV) CONSIDER THE FISCAL IMPACT, IF  ANY,  ON  THE  STATE  AND  SCHOOL
 DISTRICTS; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14329-02-9

 A. 11143                            2
 
   (V) CONSIDER ANY ADDITIONAL FACTORS THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS RELEVANT.
   D.  NO  LATER THAN ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
 THIS SUBDIVISION, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE
 BOARD OF REGENTS TO EITHER ADOPT AND PROMULGATE  APPROPRIATE  RULES  AND
 REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTING SUCH CURRICULUM OR REJECT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
 SUCH  CURRICULUM. UPON RECEIVING A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSIONER,
 PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION, THE BOARD OF REGENTS SHALL VOTE TO  EITHER
 ACCEPT  OR  REJECT THE COMMISSIONER'S RECOMMENDATION NO LATER THAN SIXTY
 DAYS AFTER RECEIVING SUCH RECOMMENDATION.
   E. IF THE BOARD OF REGENTS  ADOPTS  SUCH  CURRICULUM,  THE  CURRICULUM
 REQUIREMENT  SHALL  TAKE EFFECT NO LATER THAN THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR AFTER
 SUCH CURRICULUM HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
   F. IF THE BOARD OF REGENTS REJECTS SUCH CURRICULUM,  THE  COMMISSIONER
 SHALL  PROVIDE  A  REPORT  AS  TO  THE DETERMINATION OF THE BOARD TO THE
 GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE  SENATE,  THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE
 ASSEMBLY  AND THE CHAIRS OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES ON EDUCA-
 TION PROVIDING THE REASONS FOR SUCH REJECTION NOT LATER THAN THIRTY DAYS
 AFTER THE BOARD OF REGENTS REJECTS SUCH CURRICULUM.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.