S 8556: Establishes the advanced nuclear energy workforce development commission; directs the advanced nuclear energy workforce development commission to establish and administer the advanced nuclear energy workforce development program.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8556 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE October 29, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. GRIFFO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the advanced nuclear energy workforce development commission and the advanced nuclear energy workforce development program The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new article 168-A 2 to read as follows: 3 ARTICLE 168-A 4 ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM 5 Section 8857. Definitions. 6 8858. Advanced nuclear energy workforce development commission 7 and program. 8 § 8857. Definitions. Wherever used in this article: 9 1. "Commission" shall mean the advanced nuclear energy workforce 10 development commission. 11 2. "Program" shall mean the advanced nuclear energy workforce develop- 12 ment program. 13 3. "Industry expert" shall mean a person with experience in the 14 construction, operation, and maintenance of nuclear reactors, including 15 but not limited to small modular reactors. 16 4. "Institutions of higher education" shall mean colleges and univer- 17 sities operated by the state university of New York or the city univer- 18 sity of New York. 19 5. "Institutions of career education" shall mean schools operated by 20 vocational education and extension boards. 21 § 8858. Advanced nuclear energy workforce development commission and 22 program. 1. There is hereby created the advanced nuclear energy work- 23 force development commission. The commission shall consist of the 24 commissioner, or their designee, the chancellor of the state university EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD13884-02-5 
 S. 8556 2 1 of New York, or their designee, the chancellor of the city university of 2 New York, or their designee, and three industry experts appointed by the 3 governor who shall serve a term of five years. All members of the 4 commission shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for 5 travel expenses related to the work of the commission. 6 2. The commission shall establish and administer the program author- 7 ized under this article for the purpose of addressing urgent and skilled 8 labor demands in the advanced nuclear energy industry in this state. 9 3. Under the program, the commission shall: 10 (a) Create a strategic plan for: 11 (i) Addressing labor supply gaps and skill gap issues in the advanced 12 nuclear energy industry; and 13 (ii) Providing grants and financial assistance, including through the 14 creation of strategic partnerships with public agencies, private enti- 15 ties, and advanced nuclear energy industry stakeholders, to incentivize 16 and support: 17 (1) the development of programming and outreach efforts designed to 18 create awareness of nuclear science and career opportunities in the 19 field of advanced nuclear energy among students; 20 (2) the creation of academic pathways from institutions of secondary 21 education and to education and training programs at institutions of 22 higher education and institutions of career education in the field of 23 advanced nuclear energy; 24 (3) the creation of academic programs in the field of advanced nuclear 25 energy by institutions of higher education and institutions of career 26 education; and 27 (4) research and leadership development in the field of advanced 28 nuclear energy at institutions of higher education; and 29 (b) Develop customized curriculum requirements for degree and certif- 30 icate programs to prepare students for careers in the advanced nuclear 31 energy industry, that may be offered by institutions of higher education 32 and institutions of career education. In developing the curriculum, the 33 commission shall focus on developing programs leading to jobs in the 34 areas of: 35 (i) nuclear-grade welding; 36 (ii) radiological control and monitoring; 37 (iii) reactor operations; 38 (iv) nuclear instrumentation and control; and 39 (v) nuclear engineering. 40 4. No later than December thirty-first of each year beginning in the 41 year two thousand twenty-six, the commission shall deliver a report to 42 the governor and the legislature on the status and efficacy of the 43 program. 44 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.