A RESOLUTION honoring the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Matt Deneen and 2 co-sponsors

Kentucky Senate honors KAEE’s 50-year leadership in environmental education and encourages ongoing collaboration to broaden access and literacy.

adopted by voice vote

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Main purpose and intent

Recognize and honor KAEE for reaching its 50-year milestone (founded in 1976) and acknowledge its contributions to environmental education in Kentucky.

Highlight KAEE’s leadership, governance, partnerships, and impact on environmental literacy, teacher development, and alignment with academic standards.

Encourage continued collaboration among KAEE and state agencies, universities, and community partners to expand high-quality environmental education for all ages.

Key provisions and changes

Section 1: Formal designation of KAEE’s 50th anniversary as a subject worthy of Senate recognition.

Section 2: Recognition of KAEE’s exemplary governance, strategic long-term planning, and service to environmental education.

Section 3: Encouragement of ongoing collaboration among KAEE, state entities, higher education, and communities to broaden access to high-quality environmental education.

Section 4: Commendation of KAEE’s past and present presidents and board members for five decades of leadership and service.

Section 5: Encouragement for public participation in KAEE’s 2026 annual conference in Lexington (November 12–14, 2026).

Section 6: Directive for the Clerk of the Senate to transmit copies of the resolution to designated KAEE leadership and state officials (Senator Gerald Neal; KAEE Chair Louis Ross; KAEE Executive Director Ashley Hoffman; Secretaries Jamie Link, Rebecca Goodman; CPE Chair Aaron Thompson).

Who or what would be affected

KAEE: Formal statewide recognition and public acknowledgment by the Kentucky Senate.

KAEE leadership and affiliates: The resolution is intended for ceremonial and reputational benefit; it may inform continued networking and support.

Kentucky public and educators: Indirect benefit through heightened visibility of KAEE’s work and the emphasis on ongoing environmental education collaboration and professional development.

State agencies and higher education partners: Encouraged to maintain and expand collaborations with KAEE.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Filing and adoption timeline:

Introduced: March 18, 2026
Referred to Senate Committee (Committees): March 18, 2026
Reported/adopted: March 20–26, 2026 (adopted by voice vote on March 26, 2026)

Conference involvement: The resolution specifically encourages participation in KAEE’s 2026 annual conference in Lexington, slated for November 12–14, 2026.

Transmission: Requires six copies of the resolution to be sent to KAEE leadership and several state officials for presentation.

Significance

Non-binding but symbolically important, the resolution publicly commends KAEE’s 50-year service and reinforces the value of environmental education in Kentucky.

By emphasizing collaboration and continued support, it aims to sustain KAEE’s role in developing environmental literacy, aligning education with standards, and promoting workforce readiness related to environmental sectors.

Bill