Bill Text: NY A01397 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes the volunteer firefighters of New York higher education learning plan.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-1)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to higher education [A01397 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A01397-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          1397

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 17, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  BUTTENSCHON,  CRUZ, DICKENS, JACKSON, JONES,
          SANTABARBARA, SAYEGH, SIMPSON, STERN,  STIRPE,  WILLIAMS,  WOERNER  --
          read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education

        AN  ACT  to  amend the education law, in relation to the volunteer fire-
          fighters of New York higher education learning plan

          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 669-i
     2  to read as follows:
     3    § 669-i. Volunteer firefighters of New York higher education  learning
     4  plan.  1. Eligibility. Undergraduate students who are matriculated in an
     5  approved undergraduate program at the state university of New  York  and
     6  are  members in good standing in one of New York's volunteer fire compa-
     7  nies shall be eligible for an award under  this  section,  provided  the
     8  applicant:  (a)  signs  a contract with the corporation agreeing to work
     9  for a New York volunteer fire company on  a  full-time  basis  for  five
    10  years;  and  (b) complies with the applicable provisions of this article
    11  and all requirements promulgated by the  corporation  for  the  adminis-
    12  tration of the program.
    13    2.  Within  the amounts appropriated therefor, awards shall be granted
    14  to applicants that the corporation has certified are eligible to receive
    15  such awards. Such awards shall be made to recipients after the  success-
    16  ful completion of each academic year, as defined by the corporation.
    17    3.  An  award  shall  entitle the recipient to annual payments for not
    18  more than four academic years of full-time undergraduate study.
    19    4. Recipients shall receive  an  annual  payment  for  the  successful
    20  completion  of  an  academic year, equal to up to one hundred percent of
    21  the annual tuition charged  to  state  resident  students  attending  an
    22  undergraduate  program full-time at the state university of New York, or
    23  actual tuition charged, whichever is less.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04916-01-3
        A. 1397                             2

     1    5. The corporation shall convert to a student loan the full amount  of
     2  the  award  given pursuant to this section plus interest, according to a
     3  schedule to be determined by the corporation if: (a) a  recipient  fails
     4  to complete their course of studies as agreed to with the corporation or
     5  is  not  a  member in good standing in a New York volunteer fire company
     6  while obtaining his or her degree; or (b) two years after the completion
     7  of their course of studies as agreed to with the corporation it is found
     8  that the recipient is not working for a New York volunteer fire company;
     9  or (c) a recipient has not worked for a New York volunteer fire  company
    10  for  five  of  the  seven  years after the completion of their course of
    11  studies as agreed to with the corporation; or (d) a recipient  fails  to
    12  respond  to  requests  by  the Fireman's Association of the State of New
    13  York for the status of his or her academic or professional progress.
    14    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.