2023 -- H 6106
========
LC001729
========
S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE RHODE ISLAND CLIMATE CHANGE AND O CEAN
PROTECTION EDUCATION PROGRAM ACT
Introduced By: Representatives Cortvriend, Carson, Donovan, Speakman, McGaw,
Tanzi, Boylan, Handy, Spears, and Potter
Date Introduced: March 03, 2023
Referred To: House Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by 1
adding thereto the following chapter: 2
CHAPTER 112 3
THE RHODE ISLAND CLIMATE CHANGE OCEAN PROTECTION EDUCATION 4
PROGRAM ACT 5
16-112-1. Short title. 6
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "The Rhode Island Climate Change 7
and Ocean Protection Education Program Act". 8
16-112-2. Definitions. 9
As used in this chapter: 10
(1) "Apprenticeship" means a proven model of job preparation that combines paid on-the-11
job learning with related instruction to progressively increase workers’ skill levels and wages. It is 12
an employer-driven model that provides an effective way for employers to recruit, train, and retain 13
highly skilled workers. As an "earn and learn" strategy, apprenticeship offers job seekers immediate 14
employment that offers advancement along a career path and a nationally recognized credential. 15
(2) "Blue economy" means an economy built on the sustainable use of ocean resources for 16
economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean 17
ecosystem. 18
LC001729 - Page 2 of 6
(3) "Climate change education" means nonformal and formal interdisciplinary learning at 1
all age levels about: 2
(i) Climate change, climate adaptation and mitigation, climate resilience, and climate 3
justice; and 4
(ii) The effects of climate change, climate adaptation and mitigation, climate resilience, 5
and climate justice on the environmental, energy, social, and economic systems of the United 6
States. 7
(4) "Climate literacy" means competence or knowledge of climate change, its causes and 8
impacts, and the technical, scientific, economic, and social dynamics of promising solutions. 9
(5) "Climate justice" means the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, 10
regardless of race, color, culture, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, 11
implementation, and enforcement of policies and projects to ensure that each person enjoys the 12
same degree of protection from the adverse effects of climate change. 13
(6) "Environmental justice" means the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all 14
people, regardless of race, color, culture, national origin, or income, with respect to the 15
development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies to 16
ensure that each person enjoys: 17
(i) The same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards; and 18
(ii) Equal access to any state agency action on environmental justice issues in order to have 19
a healthy environment in which to live, learn, work, and recreate. 20
(7) "Environmental justice community" means a community with significant representation 21
of communities of color, low-income communities, or Tribal and indigenous communities that 22
experiences, or is at risk of experiencing, higher or more adverse human health or environmental 23
effects as compared to other communities. 24
(8) "Green economy" means an economy that results in improved human and economic 25
well-being and social equity by significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological 26
scarcities. 27
(9) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the 28
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 29
(10) "Local educational agency" and "state educational agency" have the meanings given 30
those terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 31
7801). 32
(11) "Nonformal" means, with respect to learning, out-of-school educational programming 33
carried out by nonprofit organizations and public agencies. 34
LC001729 - Page 3 of 6
(12) "Nonprofit organization" means an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the 1
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under 501(a) of that Code. 2
(13) "Ocean literacy" means competence or knowledge of the ocean, its interaction with 3
humans, and the technical, scientific, economic, and social dynamics of ocean protection. 4
(14) "Ocean protection education" means nonformal and formal interdisciplinary learning 5
at all age levels about: 6
(i) Ocean life, human interactions with the ocean, the ocean’s physical geography, and 7
ocean-related environmental issues; and 8
(ii) The effects of ocean-related environmental issues on the environmental, energy, social, 9
and economic systems of the United States. 10
16-112-3. Funding. 11
There shall be an annual appropriation of no less than five hundred thousand dollars 12
($500,000) per fiscal year to invest in: 13
(1) Increasing capacity at established organizations running climate change and/or ocean 14
protection education programs that will enhance the climate and ocean literacy of Rhode Island 15
youth by broadening the understanding of climate change and ocean protection, including possible 16
long-term and short-term consequences, disproportionate impacts of those consequences, and 17
potential solutions; 18
(2) Applying the latest scientific and technological discoveries to provide formal and 19
nonformal learning opportunities to youth, including those of diverse cultural and linguistic 20
backgrounds; and 21
(3) Emphasizing actionable information to help young people understand and engage new 22
technologies, programs, and incentives related to climate change, climate adaptation and 23
mitigation, climate resilience, climate justice, environmental justice, and ocean protection. 24
16-112-4. Grant program. 25
(a) The department of labor and training shall disburse these funds to eligible recipients. 26
(b) Eligible recipients shall include: 27
(1) State educational agencies, in collaboration with local educational agencies and local 28
nonprofit organizations, for the implementation of climate and ocean literacy plans for formal and 29
nonformal climate change and ocean protection education for grades kindergarten through 12 (K-30
12) that: 31
(i) Are aligned with state education standards; 32
(ii) Ensure that students graduate from high school with climate and ocean literacy; 33
(iii) Include relevant teacher training and professional development; and 34
LC001729 - Page 4 of 6
(iv) Include at least one of the following: 1
(A) Integration of key climate change and ocean protection concepts into state education 2
standards for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), civics and social studies, 3
and other relevant subject areas during the next revision of such standards. 4
(B) Development of climate change and ocean protection education frameworks and model 5
curricula and curation and dissemination of existing climate change and ocean protection 6
curriculum materials. 7
(C) Creation of applied learning project-based models, such as models making optimum 8
use of green features improvements to school facilities, such as energy systems, lighting systems, 9
water management, waste management, and school grounds improvements. 10
(D) Incorporation of climate change mitigation and blue and green technologies into new 11
and existing career and technical education career tracks and work-based learning experiences, 12
including development of partnerships with labor organizations, trade organizations, and 13
apprenticeship programs. 14
(2) Institutions of higher education and networks or partnerships of such institutions to 15
engage teams of faculty and students to develop applied climate research and deliver to local 16
communities direct services related to local climate mitigation and adaptation and ocean protection 17
issues, with priority given to projects that: 18
(i) Foster long-term campus-community partnerships; 19
(ii) Show potential to scale work beyond the grant term; 20
(iii) Incorporate faculty training and professional development; 21
(iv) Are inclusive for all segments of the population; and 22
(v) Promote equitable and just outcomes. 23
(3) Professional associations and academic disciplinary societies for projects that build 24
capacity at the state level for continuing education by practicing professionals and the general 25
public in blue and green economy fields. 26
(4) Youth development and nonprofit organization programs that engage in community-27
based climate mitigation and adaptation and ocean protection work that includes a substantive 28
academic enrichment component. 29
(c)(1) The department of labor and training shall administer the grant program required by 30
subsection (a) of this section. 31
(2) The department of labor and training shall annually consult with other relevant agencies 32
of state and municipal government, nonprofit organizations, and community-based organizations 33
to determine ways in which grant making under subsection (b) of this section can enhance and 34
LC001729 - Page 5 of 6
support climate change and ocean protection education and environmental justice goals. 1
(3) The department of labor and training shall direct at least forty percent (40%) of all funds 2
appropriated for grants under subsections (b)(2) and (b)(4) of this section to environmental justice 3
communities. 4
(4) The commission on postsecondary education shall establish communities of practice 5
with respect to each of subsections (b)(1) through (b)(4) of this section in order to accelerate 6
learning. 7
16-112-5. Reporting. 8
The department of labor and training shall report annually to the general assembly and the 9
governor no later than December 31 of each year on the status and progress of the program 10
authorized by this chapter. 11
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 12
========
LC001729
========
LC001729 - Page 6 of 6
EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE RHODE ISLAND CLIMATE CHANGE AND OCEA N
PROTECTION EDUCATION PROGRAM ACT
***
This act would appropriate five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) per fiscal year to 1
invest in climate change and ocean protection education to enhance literacy of these issues for 2
Rhode Island's youth and would include a grant program. 3
This act would take effect upon passage. 4
========
LC001729
========