Providence, Rhode Island. Photo by Michael Denning on Unsplash.
When the Rhode Island legislature adjourned on June 15, 2023, two pairs of climate change education bills, House Bill 6105 (PDF) and the identical Senate Bill 551 (PDF), and House Bill 6106 (PDF) and the identical Senate Bill 558 (PDF), died in committee.
Seeking to establish the Rhode Island Climate Change and Ocean Protection Education Program, the bills would, if enacted, have appropriated "no less than" $500,000 per fiscal year to support "climate change and/or ocean protection programs." The funds would have been disbursed by the department of labor and training to state and local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, professional associations, and youth development and non-profit organizations engaging in such programs. Professional development for teachers would have been a priority.
The similar but not quite identical House bills were held for further study by the House Finance Committee, while the similar but not quite identical Senate bills were held for further study by the Senate Finance Committee.
