S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  5909--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 24, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. EPSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Governmental Operations --  recommitted  to  the  Committee  on
   Governmental  Operations in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 --
   committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as  amended  and
   recommitted to said committee

 AN  ACT  to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing a chief
   sustainability officer
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The executive law is amended by adding a new section 94-d
 to read as follows:
   § 94-D. CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER.  1. PURPOSE. THE CHIEF SUSTAINA-
 BILITY OFFICER SHALL COORDINATE EFFORTS ACROSS ALL  AGENCIES  AND  OTHER
 STATE  GOVERNMENT  ENTITIES  TO  ADDRESS  CLIMATE  CHANGE MITIGATION AND
 CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS IN NEW YORK STATE.
   2. DEFINITIONS.  FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
   (A) "OFFICER" SHALL MEAN THE CHIEF  SUSTAINABILITY  OFFICER  APPOINTED
 PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   (B)  "STATE  AGENCY"  OR "STATE AGENCIES" SHALL MEAN ANY STATE DEPART-
 MENT, BOARD, BUREAU, DIVISION, COMMISSION, COMMITTEE, PUBLIC  AUTHORITY,
 PUBLIC   CORPORATION,  COUNCIL,  OFFICE  OR  OTHER  GOVERNMENTAL  ENTITY
 PERFORMING A GOVERNMENTAL OR PROPRIETARY FUNCTION OF THE  STATE,  EXCEPT
 THE JUDICIARY OR THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
   3.    THE  GOVERNOR SHALL APPOINT A CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER. SUCH
 CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER SHALL ACCOMPLISH THE DUTIES  SET  FORTH  IN
 THIS  SECTION  IN  AN  EFFORT  TO ADVISE AND ASSIST STATE AGENCIES IN AN
 ONGOING COORDINATED RESPONSE  TO  ADDRESS  CLIMATE  CHANGE.  SUCH  CHIEF
 SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER SHALL RECEIVE A SALARY, TO BE FIXED BY THE GOVER-
 NOR WITHIN THE AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED THEREFOR.
   4. THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER SHALL:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00500-02-4
 A. 5909--A                          2
              

 
   (A) REVIEW RULES AND REGULATIONS OF STATE AGENCIES AND SUBMIT PROPOSED
 AMENDMENTS  AND/OR ADDITIONS OF SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS TO SUCH AGEN-
 CIES FOR CONSIDERATION THAT THE OFFICER SHALL DEEM APPROPRIATE OR NECES-
 SARY TO HELP MITIGATE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF  CLIMATE  CHANGE  AND  PROMOTE
 CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY;
   (B) COORDINATE POLICY TO PROMOTE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABIL-
 ITY  ACROSS STATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, INCLUDING THE OFFICE OF GENERAL
 SERVICES, THE NEW YORK STATE ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT  AUTHORITY,
 THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  ENVIRONMENTAL  CONSERVATION,  AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
 STATE;
   (C) WORK WITH STATE  AGENCIES  AND  DEPARTMENTS  TO  ENSURE  EFFECTIVE
 IMPLEMENTATION AND ACHIEVEMENT OF STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AND STATE GOALS
 RELATED TO ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION;
   (D)  COORDINATE  IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE
 STATE FACILITY AND VEHICLE FLEET  EFFICIENCY  AND  PROMOTE  ADOPTION  OF
 ENERGY  EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES AND THE MODERNIZATION OF STATE FACILITIES
 AND OPERATIONS;
   (E) DESIGN AND SHARE WITH STATE AGENCIES  AND  DEPARTMENTS  STRATEGIES
 THAT  CAN BE USED TO LEVERAGE STATE FACILITIES AND ASSETS TO ADVANCE THE
 CONSERVATION OF NATURAL  RESOURCES  AND  HIGHLIGHT  BEST  ENVIRONMENTAL,
 TECHNOLOGICAL  AND  POLICY  STRATEGIES TO REACH THE HIGHEST ENERGY EFFI-
 CIENCY STANDARDS REASONABLY POSSIBLE;
   (F) DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES TO PLAN FOR AND MITIGATE  ENTERPRISE
 RISKS  WHILE REDUCING WASTE AND TO HELP STRENGTHEN COMMERCIAL, CULTURAL,
 AND POLITICAL COOPERATION AND ENGAGEMENT;
   (G) ADVISE STATE AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS IN BEST PRACTICES FOR  ENVI-
 RONMENTAL  REGULATORY  COMPLIANCE, REPORTING, PARTNERSHIPS AND OUTREACH,
 AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY INNOVATION;
   (H) ASSIST THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE IN  REDUCING  ITS  USE  OF  NATURAL
 RESOURCES  THROUGH  IMPROVING ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, AND PROVIDING
 DATA AND TOOLS THAT PROTECT THE HEALTH OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT'S PERSON-
 NEL AND EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES;
   (I) PARTNER WITH PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESSES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE UNIVER-
 SITIES, AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL  SUSTAINABILITY
 ACROSS THE STATE;
   (J)  PARTICIPATE  IN INTER-AGENCY WORKING GROUPS THAT DEVELOP ENVIRON-
 MENTAL REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDANCE FOR STATE AGENCIES;
   (K) ACT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF NEW YORK STATE  AT  THE  UNITED  STATES
 CLIMATE  ALLIANCE  AND  OTHER  NATIONAL  AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
 FOCUSED ON CLIMATE SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH  AND  GOALS  THAT
 THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER SHALL DEEM APPROPRIATE;
   (L)  INFORM  THE  GOVERNOR, SECRETARY, LEGISLATURE, AND STATE AGENCIES
 AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES OF THE LATEST RESEARCH AND  DEVELOPMENTS
 IN THE FIELD OF CLIMATE SCIENCE;
   (M) ADVISE AND ASSIST THE NEW YORK STATE CLIMATE ACTION COUNCIL ESTAB-
 LISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION 75-0103 OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION LAW
 IN  SUCH  DUTIES  OF  SUCH COUNCIL THAT THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER
 SHALL DEEM APPROPRIATE; AND
   (N) BE THE STATE'S COORDINATOR FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF  THE  CLIMATE
 LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT.
   5.  ALL  STATE  AGENCIES SHALL COOPERATE WITH THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY
 OFFICER TO ENSURE THAT THE  CHIEF  SUSTAINABILITY  OFFICER  IS  ABLE  TO
 FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER THIS SECTION.
   §  2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.