SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 4679

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 4, 2025

      The Senate Education Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 4679.

     As amended, this bill revises the membership and duties of the New Jersey Commission on Environmental Education.  The New Jersey 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 would now be composed of 33 members.  The additional members added under the bill are as follows:

     (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 for the provision of professional development and technical assistance opportunities for school districts, community organizations, and other institutions to expand environmental education programming.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to increase the membership of the commission to 33 members. The amendments stipulate that this additional member would be a private school teacher appointed by the Governor.