What's happening
This bill designates Earth Day as an annual observance in New York public schools and encourages instruction on the natural environment.
Why it matters
Shifts focus from tree planting and wildlife to broader environmental education. The bill replaces the previous "Conservation Day" (which emphasized planting trees, protecting wildlife, and soil/water awareness) with a more general observance of Earth Day, broadening the scope to include various aspects of the earth’s natural environment.
Gives schools more flexibility in how they celebrate. Unlike the previous law that specified certain activities and exercises, the new language allows each school to determine how to observe Earth Day and what type of environmental instruction is appropriate for their students.
Promotes environmental awareness as an annual priority. By making Earth Day an annual observance in all public schools, the bill institutionalizes environmental education, ensuring that awareness about the natural environment becomes a recurring and expected part of the school year.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Official Earth Day
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Make Earth Day Official
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Catherine Nolan
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1693
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 10, 2017
Introduced by Sen. MARCELLINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing Earth day
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 810 of the education law, as amended by chapter 616 of the laws of 1969 and subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 96 of the laws of 1978, is amended to read as follows:
§ 810. [Conservation] Earth day. [1. The last Friday in April each year is hereby made and declared to be known as Conservation day, and observed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, except that for the year nineteen hundred seventy-eight, Conservation day shall be May third.
2. It shall be the duty of the authorities of every public school in this state to assemble the pupils in their charge on that day in the school building, or elsewhere, as they may deem proper, and to provide for and conduct (1) such exercises as shall tend to encourage the planting, protection and preservation of trees and shrubs, and an acquaintance with the best methods to be adopted to accomplish such results, and (2) such lectures, pictures or tours, as shall tend to increase the interest and knowledge of such pupils in the fish and wild life, soil and water of the state.
3. The commissioner of education may prescribe from time to time a course of exercises and instruction in the subjects hereinbefore mentioned, which shall be adopted and observed by the public school authorities on Conservation day. Upon receipt of copies of such course sufficient in number to supply all the schools under their supervision, the school authorities aforesaid shall promptly provide each of the schools under their charge with a copy, and cause it to be observed] Annually, it shall be the duty of the authorities of every public school in this state to observe Earth day as they may deem proper and to encourage instruction on the earth's natural environment as appropriate.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05345-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing Earth day
Purpose
To provide flexibility and mandate relief to school districts by removing the requirement that Conservation Day be observed on the last Friday in April.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends section 810 of the education law, changing Conservation Day to Earth and allowing more flexibility in observing Earth Day. Section 2: Sets forth an immediate effective date.
Justification
In recent years, school districts have confronted unprecedented fiscal challenges. While the economic outlook for the state is steadily improving, it is a Legislative priority to provide as much flexibility as possible to school districts to enable them to provide the high quality education we expect for our students. While there are many requirements imposed on school districts that provide educational value, others continue to constrain the creativity of a district to provide services to students and relief to taxpayers.
This bill will provide relief by allowing school districts to observe Earth Day and encourage the instruction on the earth's natural environment as appropriate rather than a required observation of Conservation Day on the last Friday in April.
Legislative history
2016: S.6506 Education Committee 2015: S.2141 Passed Senate 2013-14: S.5358 Passed Senate
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.