S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9831
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 19, 2020
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the public authorities law and  the  education  law,  in
   relation to establishing a climate change education grant program
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "New York climate change education act".
   §  2.  The  public  authorities law is amended by adding a new section
 1884 to read as follows:
   § 1884. CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM. 1.  DEFINITIONS.    AS
 USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEAN-
 INGS:
   (A) "ELIGIBLE APPLICANT" SHALL MEAN (I) A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, (II)
 A  BOARD  OF  COOPERATIVE  EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, (III) A COMMUNITY BASED
 ORGANIZATION WHICH MAY BE A FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION OR ENTITY OR NOT-FOR-
 PROFIT CORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION, OR (IV) A CONSORTIUM OR  PARTNERSHIP
 FORMED  BY  A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, A BOARD OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL
 SERVICES AND ONE OR MORE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS  WHICH  QUALIFIES
 FOR THE AWARD OF A CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION GRANT BY THE AUTHORITY UNDER
 THIS SECTION.
   (B) "GRANT PROGRAM PLAN" SHALL MEAN THE PLAN SUBMITTED TO THE AUTHORI-
 TY  BY  AN  ELIGIBLE  APPLICANT  PURSUANT  TO  SUBDIVISION  FOUR OF THIS
 SECTION.
   (C) "CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM" SHALL MEAN  A  COMPREHEN-
 SIVE CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION PROGRAM CONDUCTED BY AN ELIGIBLE APPLICANT
 PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS SECTION.
   2.  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM; GENERAL
 COMPONENTS. (A) THERE IS  HEREBY  ESTABLISHED  WITHIN  THE  AUTHORITY  A
 CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM SHALL BE ESTABLISHED
 BY  THE  AUTHORITY,  IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION.
 THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM SHALL BE TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO ELIGIBLE APPLI-
 CANTS TO SUPPORT CLIMATE  CHANGE  EDUCATION  GRANT  PROGRAMS  FOR  YOUNG
 PEOPLE  WHICH PROVIDES THEM WITH TOPICS OF INSTRUCTION IN THE COMPONENTS
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13985-01-9

 A. 9831                             2
 
 SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION OR TO PROVIDE  GRANTS  TO
 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS TO PROVIDE OPTIONAL TEACHER TRAINING OR PROFESSIONAL
 DEVELOPMENT  PROGRAMS RELEVANT TO THE ADVANCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE LITERACY
 OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
   (B) IN ORDER FOR AN ELIGIBLE APPLICANT TO RECEIVE AN AWARD OF AN ANNU-
 AL  GRANT  UNDER  PARAGRAPH (C) OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE APPLICANT SHALL
 SUBMIT WITH THE APPLICATION THE COMPONENTS OF INSTRUCTION WHICH SHALL BE
 OFFERED IN THE APPLICANT'S CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM.   THE
 APPLICANT  SHALL  CREATE  A CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION PROGRAM DESIGNED TO
 INCREASE THE CLIMATE LITERACY OF YOUNG PEOPLE BY BROADENING  THE  UNDER-
 STANDING  OF CLIMATE CHANGE, INCLUDING POSSIBLE LONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM
 CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE  AND  POTENTIAL  SOLUTIONS  OR  CREATE  A
 PROGRAM DESIGNED TO ASSIST TEACHERS IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AS
 RELATED TO INCREASING THE CLIMATE LITERACY OF YOUNG PEOPLE. THE AUTHORI-
 TY MAY DETERMINE CERTAIN COMPONENTS AND TOPICS OF INSTRUCTION THAT SHALL
 BE  REQUIRED  TO  BE  INCLUDED  IN  THE CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION PROGRAM
 OFFERED BY THE APPLICANT.  THE  AUTHORITY  MAY  ALSO  DETERMINE  CERTAIN
 COMPONENTS AND TOPICS OF INSTRUCTION THAT SHALL BE OFFERED BY THE APPLI-
 CANT  IN  PROVIDING  RELEVANT  TRAINING  AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO
 TEACHERS.
   (C) ANY ELIGIBLE APPLICANT MAY APPLY FOR, AND  UPON  APPROVAL  OF  THE
 APPLICATION  BY THE AUTHORITY, SHALL BE AWARDED AN ANNUAL CLIMATE CHANGE
 EDUCATION GRANT PROVIDED THAT THE APPLICANT DEMONSTRATES  IN  THE  GRANT
 PROGRAM PLAN SUBMITTED TO THE AUTHORITY THAT:
   (I)  THE  APPLICANT IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH AN EFFECTIVE
 CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT SHALL BE MEANINGFUL AND CAPABLE OF
 PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION PROGRAM OR THE APPLICANT
 IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING TEACHERS WITH A RELEVANT EFFECTIVE  TRAINING  OR
 PROFESSIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  PROGRAM AND EITHER PROGRAM SHALL BE CONDUCTED
 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION AND ANY REGULATIONS PROMULGATED PURSUANT
 TO THIS SECTION; AND
   (II) IF SUCH APPLICANT IS A COMMUNITY  BASED  ORGANIZATION,  THAT  THE
 APPLICANT  HAS  A  PROVEN RECORD AND EXPERIENCE IN CONDUCTING MEANINGFUL
 AND SUCCESSFUL CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND THAT THE APPLICANT
 IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING A CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION PROGRAM  TO  A  BROAD
 BASED SEGMENT OF THE YOUTH POPULATION OR TEACHERS WITH SPECIFIC EMPHASIS
 ON  TARGETED YOUTHS AND TEACHERS LOCATED IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMU-
 NITIES IN SUCH ORGANIZATION'S SERVICE AREA. THE AUTHORITY MAY  SEEK  AND
 SHALL RECEIVE ANY PERTINENT INFORMATION OR REQUEST AND RECEIVE RECOMMEN-
 DATIONS  AS TO SUCH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION'S INTERACTIONS OR PRIOR
 DEALINGS WITH ANY OTHER STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL  ENTITY,  INCLUDING,
 BUT  NOT  LIMITED TO, ANY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT OR BOARD OF COOPERATIVE
 EDUCATIONAL SERVICES IN MAKING THE DETERMINATION REQUIRED BY THIS  PARA-
 GRAPH.
   (D) ALL MONEYS PROVIDED IN GRANTS UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE IN ADDI-
 TION  TO,  AND  NOT IN LIEU OF, ANY MONEYS HISTORICALLY APPROPRIATED FOR
 THE SAME OR SIMILAR PURPOSES AND SHALL NOT BE USED TO OFFSET  OR  REDUCE
 MONEYS PREVIOUSLY EXPENDED FOR SIMILAR PROGRAMS.
   3.  CLIMATE  CHANGE EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM AWARDS. (A) WITHIN AMOUNTS
 APPROPRIATED THEREFOR, THE AUTHORITY SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO GRANT AWARDS
 FOR THE SUPPORT OF APPROVED CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAMS.
   (B) GRANTS TO SUPPORT  AN  APPROVED  CLIMATE  CHANGE  EDUCATION  GRANT
 PROGRAM  SHALL  BE  AWARDED  ON  A  COMPETITIVE BASIS IN ACCORDANCE WITH
 CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE AUTHORITY.
   (C) THE AUTHORITY SHALL APPROPRIATE AT  LEAST  FIFTY  PERCENT  OF  ALL
 GRANT  MONEY  APPROPRIATED  FOR  THE CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION PROGRAM TO

 A. 9831                             3

 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS FOR THE PURPOSES OF INCREASING THE CLIMATE  LITERACY
 OF YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH A CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION PROGRAM. THE AUTHORI-
 TY  SHALL  APPROPRIATE  NO  MORE  THAN  FIFTY PERCENT OF ALL GRANT MONEY
 APPROPRIATED TO TEACHER TRAINING OR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
   (D)  THE  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL, FROM WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRI-
 ATED TO THE DEPARTMENT, UNDERTAKE ALL ACTIVITIES NECESSARY TO  PLAN  FOR
 AND  PRELIMINARILY  PROVIDE FOR THE TIMELY IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CLIMATE
 CHANGE EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION  FOR
 THE  STATE  FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING ONE YEAR FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE
 OF THIS SECTION.
   (E) NOT MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT OF ANY AMOUNTS MADE AVAILABLE BY APPRO-
 PRIATION IN ANY SINGLE FISCAL YEAR  FOR  THE  CLIMATE  CHANGE  EDUCATION
 GRANT PROGRAM SHALL BE ANNUALLY RETAINED BY THE AUTHORITY FOR THE ADMIN-
 ISTRATIVE PURPOSES OF THE DEPARTMENT.
   (F)  OF  THE  AMOUNTS  MADE AVAILABLE BY APPROPRIATION FOR THE CLIMATE
 CHANGE EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM, NOT MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT OF ANY  FUNDS
 MADE  BY  SUCH  APPROPRIATION FOR THE STATE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING THREE
 YEARS FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE MADE  AVAIL-
 ABLE  FOR PAYMENT TO A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AND ACCREDITED ORGANIZATION
 WITH EXPERIENCE IN ANALYZING THE EFFICACY AND BENEFITS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
 EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAMS FOR PURPOSES OF ENABLING SUCH  ORGANIZATION  TO
 EVALUATE THE TOTALITY OF THE GRANT PROGRAM AND GRANTS AWARDED IN THE TWO
 YEARS  FOLLOWING  THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION. NOT MORE THAN FOUR
 PERCENT OF ANY FUNDS MADE BY SUCH APPROPRIATION  FOR  THE  STATE  FISCAL
 YEAR  COMMENCING FOUR YEARS FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION
 SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR PAYMENT TO THE SAME ORGANIZATION  WHICH  WAS
 AWARDED  THE INITIAL CONTRACT TO SO ANALYZE THE CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION
 GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSE  OF  PROVIDING  NECESSARY  FUNDS  TO  SUCH
 ORGANIZATION  TO ANALYZE THE CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM FROM
 ITS INCEPTION THROUGH AND INCLUDING ALL THE GRANT YEAR  PERIODS  AUTHOR-
 IZED UNDER THIS SECTION. THE CONTRACT TO BE AWARDED TO SUCH ORGANIZATION
 SHALL  BE  LET  ONLY AFTER A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL HAS BEEN ISSUED BY THE
 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR BY LAW, AND THE AWARD
 OF SUCH CONTRACT SHALL BE SUBJECT TO COMPETITIVE BIDDING REQUIREMENTS AS
 ALSO REQUIRED BY LAW. THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL  INCLUDE  WITHIN
 THE  REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DETAILED CRITERIA OF EVALUATION TO BE EMPLOYED
 BY THE ORGANIZATION TO BE AWARDED THE  BID.  THE  REQUEST  FOR  PROPOSAL
 SHALL ALSO ALLOW FOR A BIDDING ORGANIZATION TO SUBMIT ADDITIONAL EVALUA-
 TIVE  CRITERIA  THAT MAY BE UTILIZED BY THE ORGANIZATION AWARDED THE BID
 IF APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  INCON-
 SISTENT  PROVISION  OF  THIS  PARAGRAPH,  THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL SHALL
 INCLUDE A PROVISION AUTHORIZING THE AUTHORITY TO TERMINATE  THE  AWARDED
 CONTRACT  TO  THE  SUCCESSFUL  BIDDER WITH RESPECT TO THE CONDUCT OF THE
 SECOND EVALUATION OF THE GRANT  PROGRAM  FOR  THE  ENTIRE  GRANT  PERIOD
 AUTHORIZED UNDER THIS SECTION IF THE AUTHORITY IS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE
 QUALITY OF EFFORT DEMONSTRATED BY SUCH BIDDER IN THE FIRST EVALUATION OF
 THE  GRANT  PROGRAM PERIOD. IN SUCH CASE, A SIMILAR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
 PROCEDURE SHALL BE UTILIZED FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING THE SECOND  EVALU-
 ATION.
   (G) BEGINNING WITH THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINNING IN JULY TWO YEARS FOLLOW-
 ING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION AND EVERY SCHOOL YEAR THEREAFTER,
 FROM  ANY  ANNUAL  APPROPRIATIONS AND/OR REAPPROPRIATIONS MADE THEREFOR,
 THE AUTHORITY SHALL SET ASIDE EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE MONEY  SO  APPROPRI-
 ATED (MINUS ANY AMOUNTS NECESSARY TO PAY ADJUSTMENT EXPENSES PURSUANT TO
 PARAGRAPHS  (D),  (E),  AND  (F) OF THIS SUBDIVISION) FOR THE PURPOSE OF
 AWARDING  GRANTS  FOR  CLIMATE  CHANGE  EDUCATION  GRANT  PROGRAM  PLANS

 A. 9831                             4
 
 APPROVED  BY  THE AUTHORITY PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS SECTION
 TO BE CONDUCTED BY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND/OR BOARDS OF  COOPERATIVE
 EDUCATIONAL  SERVICES  INCLUDING  THOSE  PROGRAMS  WHICH ARE GOING TO BE
 CONDUCTED  IN  ACCORDANCE WITH A PROGRAM PLAN PURSUANT TO CONSORTIUMS OR
 PARTNERSHIPS FORMED BY A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND/OR BOARD OF  COOPER-
 ATIVE  EDUCATIONAL  SERVICES  AND  ONE OR MORE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZA-
 TIONS. PRIORITY, SUBSTANTIAL CONSIDERATION AND WEIGHT SHALL BE  ACCORDED
 BY  THE AUTHORITY IN THE AWARDING OF GRANTS TO SUCH CONSORTIUMS OR PART-
 NERSHIPS. THE AUTHORITY SHALL SET ASIDE TWENTY PERCENT OF ANY  APPROPRI-
 ATION  FOR  THE  PURPOSE OF AWARDING GRANTS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION
 GRANT PROGRAM PLANS APPROVED BY THE AUTHORITY  FOR  ELIGIBLE  APPLICANTS
 WHO  ARE  COMMUNITY  BASED  ORGANIZATIONS  WHICH ARE NOT CONDUCTING SUCH
 PROGRAM AS PART OF A CONSORTIUM OR PARTNERSHIP.
   4. APPLICATION FOR GRANTS;  CLIMATE  CHANGE  EDUCATION  GRANT  PROGRAM
 PLAN.  (A)  THE  AUTHORITY  SHALL  ESTABLISH AN APPLICATION PROCEDURE BY
 WHICH ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS  MAY  APPLY  FOR  A  GRANT  PURSUANT  TO  THIS
 SECTION,  AND THE MANNER AND METHOD INCLUDING SPECIFIED OBJECTIVE CRITE-
 RIA CONSISTENT WITH THIS SECTION BY WHICH THE AUTHORITY SHALL  DETERMINE
 THE ELIGIBILITY OF AN APPLICANT.
   (B) THE ELIGIBLE APPLICANT SHALL SUBMIT WITH THE CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCA-
 TION GRANT APPLICATION THE APPLICANT'S GRANT PROGRAM PLAN TO THE AUTHOR-
 ITY,  WHICH SHALL INCLUDE A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED CLIMATE
 CHANGE EDUCATION PROGRAM, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I) AN OUTLINE FOR THE CURRICULUM TO BE COVERED IN THE ELIGIBLE APPLI-
 CANT'S PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS OR WORKSHOP FOR TEACHERS, INCLUDING INSTRUC-
 TIONAL MATERIALS, BOOKS, VIDEOS OR OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS TO BE  USED
 AND  THE  TRAINING  WHICH  WILL  BE  PROVIDED TO TEACHERS, PERSONNEL AND
 VOLUNTEERS WHO WILL CONDUCT THE PROGRAM;
   (II) ANY SPECIAL OR UNUSUAL OR INNOVATIVE SERVICES, PROGRAMS OR EDUCA-
 TION METHODS TO BE UTILIZED INCLUDING SPECIAL TECHNOLOGY  OR  SCIENTIFIC
 METHODS;
   (III)  THE  NUMBER  AND  TYPES  OF  TEACHING  OR OTHER PERSONNEL TO BE
 EMPLOYED, OR VOLUNTEERS TO BE USED, TOGETHER WITH THEIR PROFESSIONAL  OR
 ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS;
   (IV) THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA IN WHICH THE PROPOSED PROGRAM WILL BE OFFERED
 ALONG  WITH  AN  ESTIMATE  OF THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS OR TEACHERS WHO THE
 APPLICANT ESTIMATES WILL PARTICIPATE  IN  SUCH  A  PROGRAM  AND  IF  THE
 GEOGRAPHIC AREA IS LOCATED IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY;
   (V)  A DEMONSTRATION THAT THE PROPOSED PROGRAM IS ADEQUATE IN TERMS OF
 COURSE LENGTH;
   (VI) SPECIAL TRAINING OR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES OFFERED FOR
 TEACHERS IF RELEVANT; AND
   (VII) ANY OTHER INFORMATION THE AUTHORITY MAY REQUEST.
   5. MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT. ANY MONEYS MADE  AVAILABLE  TO  AN  ELIGIBLE
 APPLICANT  SHALL  NOT  BE  USED TO OFFSET OR REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF MONEYS
 PREVIOUSLY EXPENDED FOR THE SAME OR SIMILAR PROGRAMS IN  A  PRIOR  YEAR,
 BUT SHALL BE USED TO SUPPLEMENT ANY PRIOR YEARS' EXPENDITURES. NO ELIGI-
 BLE  APPLICANT  SHALL  REDUCE ANY SUBSEQUENT YEARS' EXPENDITURES FOR THE
 SAME OR SIMILAR PROGRAMS AS A RESULT OF RECEIVING ANY GRANT, OR INCREASE
 IN THE AMOUNT OF ANY PRIOR AWARDED GRANT, PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   6. ANNUAL REPORTS BY GRANT RECIPIENTS. (A)  EVERY  ELIGIBLE  APPLICANT
 THAT  HAS  BEEN  AWARDED A GRANT UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL FILE AN ANNUAL
 REPORT WITH THE AUTHORITY, IN SUCH  FORM  AND  WITH  SUCH  DATA  AS  THE
 AUTHORITY  PRESCRIBES DETAILING THE EXPENDITURE OF GRANT FUNDS, TOGETHER
 WITH AN ANALYSIS OF  THE  CLIMATE  CHANGE  EDUCATION  GRANT  PROGRAM  IT
 CONDUCTED.

 A. 9831                             5
 
   (B)  THE  AUTHORITY  SHALL  ON  OR BEFORE FEBRUARY FIRST IN EACH YEAR,
 SUBMIT A REPORT ON THE PROGRAM TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT
 OF  THE  SENATE  AND  THE  SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY CONTAINING HIS OR HER
 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. IN THE REPORT SUBMITTED IN THE FOURTH YEAR
 AND  THE SIXTH YEAR FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION RESPEC-
 TIVELY, THE AUTHORITY SHALL ALSO INCLUDE THE EVALUATION OF  THE  PROGRAM
 AS  PRESENTED BY THE ACCREDITED ORGANIZATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVI-
 SION THREE OF THIS SECTION.
   7. NOTIFICATION TO POTENTIAL APPLICANTS. THE AUTHORITY SHALL SEND,  IN
 A  TIMELY  MANNER, EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AND BOARD OF COOPERATIVE
 EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND EVERY REQUESTING COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION A
 COPY OF THIS SECTION AND GENERAL INFORMATION  RELATING  TO  THE  CLIMATE
 CHANGE EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM AND THE APPLICATION PROCESS THEREFOR.
   8.  REGULATIONS.  THE AUTHORITY SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS
 AS SHALL BE REASONABLY NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS
 SECTION.
   §  3.  Section  305  of  the  education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 59 to read as follows:
   59. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL COOPERATE WITH THE  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  NEW
 YORK  STATE  ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IN ESTABLISHING A
 CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM AS DESCRIBED IN SECTION  EIGHTEEN
 HUNDRED EIGHTY-FOUR OF THE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES LAW.
   §  4. Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision or
 section of this act shall be adjudged by any court of  competent  juris-
 diction  to  be  invalid  and  after  exhaustion of all further judicial
 review, the judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the  remain-
 der  thereof,  but  shall  be  confined  in its operation to the clause,
 sentence,  paragraph,  subdivision  or  section  of  this  act  directly
 involved  in  the  controversy  in  which  the  judgment shall have been
 rendered.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.