S4679

An Act concerning the New Jersey Commission on Environmental Education and amending P.L.1995, c.409.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 1 of P.L.1995, c.409 (C.18A:6-91.1) is amended to read as follows:

1. a. There is hereby created in but not of the Department of Environmental Protection the New Jersey Commission on Environmental Education. The commission shall consist of [23 public members,] 32 members as follows:

(1) the [commissioners, or their designees, of the Department] Commissioners of Education, [the Department of] Environmental Protection, and [the Department of] Health, ex officio, or their designees;

(2) the Attorney General, ex officio, or a designee, with responsibility in the area of environmental law[, the Executive Director of the Commission on];

(3) a designee from the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education[, and a designee of the Governor. The];

(4) a designee from the Board of Public Utilities;

(5) a designee from the Department of Agriculture; and

(6) 25 public members [shall consist of] appointed by the Governor, including: two college professors in the fields of environmental education or environmental science; [one private school teacher and two] three public school teachers, one of whom is selected [by] on the recommendation of the New Jersey Education Association, including one teacher from kindergarten to third grade, one from fourth to sixth grade, and one from seventh to twelfth grade; one school administrator; one [representative] principal or supervisor selected on the recommendation of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; one local school board representative selected [by] on the recommendation of the New Jersey School Boards Association; one member of an interfaith religious organization; one representative from labor; [one representative] two representatives from industry; two representatives from environmental [or] public interest organizations; [two] three representatives from cultural institutions [such as] , including museums and nature centers; two representatives from the field of environmental health; two non-academic science professionals; two representatives from the agricultural community; one student representative from a student environmental organization [, such as Kids Against Pollution; and one representative from the South Jersey Environmental Information Center] ; and one representative of an environmental justice organization.

To the greatest extent practicable, an effort shall be made to appoint public members who live in, work in, or represent overburdened communities subject to adverse cumulative stressors as defined by the Department of Environment Protection pursuant to P.L.2020, c.92 (C.13:1D-157 et seq.).

b. Appointment of new members to the commission pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall be made within 30 days after the effective date of this act. The public members shall be appointed [by the Governor] for terms of three years, except that the student representative shall be appointed for a term of one year, and in the first year the other public members shall be appointed to staggered terms as follows:

(1) Seven shall be appointed to terms of one year;

(2) Seven shall be appointed to terms of two years; and

(3) Seven shall be appointed to terms of three years.

Public members shall be eligible for reappointment and shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. The term of the successor of any incumbent shall be calculated from the expiration of the term of that incumbent. A vacancy occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment, but for the unexpired term only.

c. The commission shall meet, at a minimum, four times a year.

d. The commission shall elect a chairperson and a vice-chairperson from among its membership. The term of office for each position shall be two years.

e. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for all necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. The commission may hire staff as necessary within the limits of funding as provided by section 5 of P.L.1995, c.409 (C.18A:6-91.5).

(cf: P.L.1995, c.409, s.1)

2. Section 2 of P.L.1995, c.409 (C.18A:6-91.2) is amended to read as follows:

2. The commission shall:

a. [Advise and oversee the implementation of the Plan of Action that was adopted by the Commission on Environmental Education created by Executive Order Number 205 of 1989 and reconvened as the New Jersey Commission on Environmental Education by Executive Order Number 111 of 1993;] (Deleted by amendment, P.L. , c. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)

b. [Develop] develop and maintain, with the assistance of the various agencies and departments, [a bi-annual] an inventory of the environmental education resources that are available in all State agencies and departments including, but not limited to, the climate change resources prepared by the New Jersey Department of Education for students in kindergarten through grade 12;

c. [Develop and maintain an Environmental Education Network of activities, resources and model programs throughout the State;] (Deleted by amendment, P.L. , c. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)

d. [Organize] organize a [global] regional forum on environmental education to be held every three to five years;

e. [Organize] organize and support an annual Environmental Education Week;

f. [Support such other] support additional environmental education activities as the commission determines are appropriate;

g. [Provide technical assistance to the Legislature for legislation related to environmental education; and] (Deleted by amendment, P.L. , c. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)

h. [Submit] advise on the implementation of climate, sustainability, and environmental literacy education throughout the State; and

i. develop and submit an annual report [on the status of environmental education] to the Governor, and the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), on the yearly accomplishments of the commission and any recommendations of the commission.

(cf: P.L.1995, c.409, s.2)

3. Section 3 of P.L.1995, c.409 (C.18A:6-91.3) is amended to read as follows:

3. The Inter-agency Work Group, created pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1995, c.409 (C.18A:6-91.4), may:

a. [Publicize] identify and promote existing model environmental education programs;

b. [Provide leadership and coordination in conducting teacher in-service programs throughout the State;] (Deleted by amendment, P.L. , c. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)

c. [Solicit] solicit public and private partnerships at the local, State, and national levels to provide [teacher education programs] professional development and technical assistance opportunities for school districts, community organizations, and other institutions to expand environmental education programming; and

d. [Provide] provide the commission with information concerning the [availability] implementation of environmental education [to students] in formal and non-formal learning spaces in the State.

(cf: P.L.1995, c.409, s.3)

4. Section 4 of P.L.1995, c.409 (C.18A:6-91.4) is amended to read as follows:

4. There is created an Inter-agency Work Group, which shall consist, at a minimum, of the commissioner or secretary, or [his] their designee, of each of the principal departments. This work group shall meet periodically to coordinate the environmental education efforts of the various departments and agencies in the State.

(cf: P.L.1995, c.409, s.4)

5. Section 5 of P.L.1995, c.409 (C.18A:6-91.5) is amended to read as follows:

5. The Environmental Education Fund is established as a [nonlapsing] non-lapsing revolving fund in the Department of Environmental Protection. The fund shall be administered by the commission, and shall be credited with all moneys appropriated by [this act] P.L.1995, c.409 (C.18A:6-91.1 et seq.) and with grant moneys or any other revenue obtained by the commission for the purpose of environmental education. Interest received on moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund.

(cf: P.L.1995, c.409, s.5)

6. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill revises the membership and duties of the New Jersey Commission on Environmental Education.

The NJ Commission on Environmental Education was established through statute in 1995. Prior to its establishment by statute, Governor Kean's Executive Order No. 205 convened the New Jersey Commission on Environmental Education in 1989, and Governor Florio reconvened it by Executive Order No. 111 in 1993. The purpose of the commission is to develop an environmentally responsible citizenry.

This bill adds additional members to the commission. Under the bill, the commission is now to be composed of 32 members. The additional members added under the bill are to include:

(1) a designee from the Board of Public Utilities;

(2) a designee from the Department of Agriculture;

(3) an additional public school teacher;

(4) an additional representative from industry;

(5) an additional representative from a cultural institution; and

(6) a representative of an environmental justice organization.

The bill stipulates that, to the greatest extent practicable, an effort is to be made to appoint public members who live in, work in, or represent overburdened communities subject to adverse cumulative stressors as defined by the Department of Environment Protection.

The bill updates the duties of the commission to include advising on the implementation of climate, sustainability, and environmental literacy education throughout the State.

Additionally, this bill updates the duties of the Inter-agency Work Group to provide that the solicitation of public and private partnerships is to be for the provision of professional development and technical assistance opportunities for school districts, community organizations, and other institutions to expand environmental education programming.