S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7539
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 25, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. GUNTHER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Governmental Operations
 
 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.
   §  2.  Objectives.  A  legislative task force on outdoor environmental
 education and recreation is hereby established to:
   (a) Promote the development of a framework that will ensure  that  New
 York  state has an aggressive outdoor environmental education and recre-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04135-01-3
              

 A. 7539                             2
 
 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.
   §  3.  a. Composition. The task force shall consist of twelve members.
 The task force members will have experience  and  expertise  in  outdoor
 recreation 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
 conservation  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
 organization. One member shall be  a  representative  from  a  nonprofit
 environmental 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.
   b.  The  commissioner  of the office of parks, recreation and historic
 preservation or his or her designee shall serve as  chair  of  the  task
 force.
   c.  The  members  of  the task force shall receive no compensation for
 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
 incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this act.
   § 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, 2026. The task force may develop
 and publish other documents throughout the year as  it  deems  necessary
 and/or appropriate.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.