Rutgers University in New Jersey.
New Jersey's Senate Bill 690, if enacted, would require four-year public institutions in the state to adopt a policy requiring students to complete a course with substantial climate change content before graduating.
The bill explains, "The purpose of the policy shall be to empower students with the knowledge and skills needed to confront the urgent global challenge of climate change," adding, "The policy shall identify numerous courses offered by the institution across multiple disciplines that may satisfy the requirement, including upper-level courses that dedicate at least 30 percent of their content toward climate change and which provide instruction on climate change in students’ respective fields of study." The policy would apply to students who enroll after the effective date of the law, if the bill is enacted.
The bill is identical to Senate Bill 4788 from the 2024-2025 legislative session, which died in committee. It was introduced by Bob Smith (D-District 17) and Linda R. Greenstein (D-District 14) on January 13, 2026, and referred to the Senate Higher Education Committee.
