Bill Text: NY A00546 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Amended

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Bill Title: Provides loan forgiveness to certified alcoholism and substance abuse counselors (CASACs) who reside in the state and work in a facility licensed by the state.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to higher education [A00546 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A00546-Amended.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         546--A

                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                       (Prefiled)

                                     January 9, 2019
                                       ___________

        Introduced by M. of A. STIRPE -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on  Higher  Education  --  committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
          reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

        AN ACT to amend  the  education  law,  in  relation  to  providing  loan
          forgiveness to credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse counselors

          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 section  679-k
     2  to read as follows:
     3    §  679-k.  Credentialed  alcoholism and substance abuse counselor loan
     4  forgiveness program. 1. Purpose. The president shall grant student  loan
     5  forgiveness  awards to credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse coun-
     6  selors for the purpose of increasing the number of  individuals  serving
     7  in the service area of substance abuse counseling.
     8    2.  Certification. Credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse counse-
     9  lor loan forgiveness awards shall be  awarded  each  year.  Such  awards
    10  shall  be allocated as provided in this section to eligible credentialed
    11  alcoholism and substance abuse counselors, hereinafter  referred  to  as
    12  CASACS, as certified to the commissioner by the president.
    13    3. Definition. For the purposes of this section, a CASAC shall mean an
    14  individual who is currently credentialed by the New York state office of
    15  alcoholism  and substance abuse services in accordance with the New York
    16  Codes, Rules and Regulations Title 14 Section 853.5.
    17    4. Eligibility. A CASAC shall be eligible  for  an  award  under  this
    18  section  provided that: (i) such person has been a resident of the state
    19  of New York for a minimum of one year and (ii) such person  is  employed
    20  as a CASAC in a facility licensed by the state of New York.
    21    5. Duration. Each award shall entitle the recipient to an annual award
    22  and a recipient shall be eligible for no more than three years.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD00501-02-9
        A. 546--A                           2

     1    6. Amount. The corporation shall grant such awards and based on avail-
     2  ability  of  funds  in  an  amount  not  to exceed the total cost of the
     3  student loan debt.
     4    7.  Rules and regulations. The corporation is authorized to promulgate
     5  rules and regulations, and may promulgate emergency  regulations  neces-
     6  sary for the implementation of the provisions of this section.
     7    § 2. This act shall take effect April 1, 2021.