• California A.B.1225, if signed by the governor, will establish an Accessibility Advisory Committee to advise on improving disability access in state parks. 
• Montana S.B.238 created a program to support bowhunters with disabilities, which is funded by optional donations added to hunting licenses. The money is used to help non-profit organizations buy modified archery equipment for hunters who need it.

• Nevada S.B.405 created a Transit-to-Trails Task Force to improve public transit access to outdoor recreation areas. 
• Illinois (H.B.3630 / S.B.1791) continued to explore establishing a Transit-to-Trails Grant Program.

• Colorado enacted H.B.25-1163, which officially recognized the rights of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe by allowing enrolled Ute Tribal citizens to enter state parks without paying a fee. 
• Connecticut also looked into confirming the fishing, hunting, and aquaculture rights of Native American Tribes and Tribal citizens with H.B.5388.

• New Mexico H.M.31, which was drafted and advocated for by youth, expanded on 2024 citizen science efforts (S.M.1/H.M.34) by establishing a “Citizen Science Day,” and integrating citizen science into state agencies, prioritizing youth engagement and environmental data collection. 
• Nevada built on a 2023 study (A.B.164, 2023) focused on using state outdoor recreation resources to incorporate outdoor education into public schools by enacting: 
  • A.B.165 establishes the Outdoor Education Council within the Division of Outdoor Recreation to promote and support outdoor education in Nevada schools.
  • A.B.108 appropriates a total of $500,000 from the Nevada State General Fund to the Outdoor Education and Recreation Grant Program Account to promote environmental education, youth engagement, and public access to outdoor activities.
  • A.B.501 allows students to earn elective credits for approved outdoor recreational activities such as identifying native plants and animals, building trails, restoring habitats, and learning outdoor survival and recreational skills.
• Maine (L.D.895) established an Outdoor School for All program to provide immersive outdoor education to students in grades four to eight. Similar to popular and impactful programs in Oregon and Minnesota, Maine will offer overnight outdoor experiences to youth through public schools. The program was established without state funding in its first year and will be tested with the support of donations from foundations and individuals in order to identify the amount and source of funding to sustain the program long term.

• Oregon H.B.3365 integrates climate change education into the state curriculum. Similar to Puerto Rico’s R.S.0854 (2024), Oregon H.B.3365 emphasizes the importance of understanding human rights implications, scientific causes, and ways to mitigate climate change effects as a core part of education. 
• Hawaii H.C.R.87 also advanced youth climate resilience by establishing an annual Climate Week in public schools to promote awareness, address climate anxiety, and empower students.

• Texas (S.B.25) led in exploring new ways to increase youth wellness by directing schools to offer physical activity, nutrition education, and wellness learning opportunities from kindergarten through the 12th grade. S.B.25 also directs health professionals to seek continuing education on how nutrition and physical activity can improve health outcomes, especially for youth. 
• Similarly, Texas (H.B.4230) established a novel Bicentennial Trail to create a network of hike and bike trails connecting significant historic and cultural sites as well as existing trails. The landmarks considered for the Bicentennial Trail overlap with central locations in many communities, offering the opportunity to strategically connect communities. 

• Following several years of exploring water safety solutions in the legislature, California (A.B.1005) now requires public schools to distribute free, evidence-based water safety materials provided by qualified organizations and mandates state agencies to make water safety curricula available. 
• Similarly, Hawaii (H.B.1234/S.B.1223) explored creating a water safety education pilot program in public schools funded for two fiscal years to reduce drowning rates among children and young adults. 
• States continued to look into pool, spa, and water recreation codes to explore ways to increase water safety equality in building codes, such as Washington H.B.1684/S.B.5597. 

• Nevada A.B.96 requires large counties and cities in the state to create a comprehensive heat mitigation plan, including managing extreme heat in outdoor public spaces through increasing native tree canopy. 
• Hawaii H.C.R.186 mandates a study on heat exposure management in schools related to student safety during outdoor activities and has considered H.B.245 to protect students from heat exposure by developing guidelines for outdoor activities, expanding shaded areas, and providing temperature measurement tools to schools. Hawaii continues these efforts in 2026 by proposing extreme heat plans (H.B.1801) as well as using native tree plantings at schools to manage extreme weather (H.B.2374). 

• Washington D.C. B.26-0066 led the charge in centering youth in their own environmental futures by creating a Youth Advisory Council on Climate Change and Environmental Conservation (Youth Climate Council). The Youth Council will develop and provide recommendations on climate change, environmental conservation, and green workforce development, advising the Mayor, the Council, and the Department of Energy and Environment. Youth councilors will receive a stipend to promote equitable participation.

• Florida H.B.209 / S.B. 80 ensured state parks would continue to be primarily nature spaces by prioritizing conservation-based recreation; some state parks had been considered for golf courses and pickleball courts, which were expected to limit youth engagement with parks. 
• Colorado H.B.25-1061 created funding for community schoolyards in order to address inequities in access to park-like green spaces that will serve youth both in school and during non-school hours.

• Utah H.B.115 allowed the State Park Fees Account to retain interest, increasing their funding year after year. 

• Washington S.B. 5390 increased parks pass income by updating their Discover Pass fee to match inflation while also introducing a discounted family pass made possible by increased pass revenues. 
• Utah S.B.200 modified boat registration fees and added a small tax related to boating in order to fund safer, public access to waterways. 
• Hawaii S.B.439 established a first-of-its-kind fee for people from outside the state visiting state parks and trails in order to increase funding for conservation and recreation maintenance without increasing costs for people who live in Hawaii.

EXPLORE Act (Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act), H.R. 6492, enacted in January 2025, helps youth by expanding, enhancing, and securing free or low-cost access to federal public lands and outdoor recreation. Key provisions include reauthorizing the “Every Kid Outdoors” program (which provides fourth-grade students with a free, annual pass to access over 2,000 federal lands and waters, including national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges) for seven years, funding new urban parks in disadvantaged areas, and streamlining permits for youth outdoor education groups.

YOUNG Act (Youth Outdoors Using Nature’s Genetics Act), H.R.2971, would establish a grant program to fund youth biodiversity monitoring projects. It aims to educate students about and involve them in using advanced technologies to monitor biodiversity.

Home gardens can be an exciting way for youth to grow direct relationships with nature and their families. Building on efforts in Illinois and Ohio, Oklahoma H.B.1189 would grant residents the right to grow personal vegetable gardens on their property, limiting local government rules for home gardens to health and safety purposes. 

Many states have little or no guidance around how much play time outdoors youth should be provided in school. Similar to Washington S.B.5257 (2023), South Carolina H.B.3195 would require that all students get at least twenty minutes of unstructured outdoor recess daily. 

Only 10% of playgrounds offer play opportunities for disabled children. North Carolina H.688 would establish a grant program for the construction and adaptation of disability-inclusive playgrounds within the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. New Jersey ​​A.5154 / S.362 would allocate 10% of Green Acres funding to local governments for developing inclusive playgrounds.

Massachusetts S.791 would require some kinds of insurance to cover nature prescriptions to treat physical and mental health, as well as requiring state-controlled natural areas to waive fees for MassHealth enrollees. It also asks the Department of Public Health and the Department of Conservation & Recreation to work together to explore opportunities for developing outdoor-based therapy programs.

Incarcerated people who spend time outdoors experience better mental health and are less likely to be involved in the justice system in the future. South Carolina S.C.R.149 would set minimum requirements for outdoor access for incarcerated youth, and Massachusetts S.B.1720 would allow incarcerated people to meet with visitors in outdoor settings.