Massachusetts's House Bill 4419, described as a new draft of six bills seeking to support climate change education, was introduced and passed by the Joint Committee on Education on February 26, 2024.
If enacted, the bill would establish the Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Trust Fund, which would support interdisciplinary climate education in the state, prioritizing underserved communities and communities that are disproportionately affected by climate change.
The bill would also authorize local school districts to implement interdisciplinary climate literacy plans. Guidelines for the development and implementation of such plans would be provided by an Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Advisory Council.
House Bill 4419 replaces House Bills 470, 491, 496, 504, 576, and 3387, all of which were introduced in 2023, but its text is closest to that of House Bill 470. House Bill 4419 is now with the House Committee on Ways and Means.
