Bill Text: NY S03320 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Establishes the New York state COVID-19 heroes loan forgiveness program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-05 - REFERRED TO HEALTH [S03320 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-S03320-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          3320

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                    January 28, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by Sen. KAMINSKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Health

        AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to  establishing  the
          New York state COVID-19 heroes loan forgiveness program

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding  a  new  section
     2  903-a to read as follows:
     3    §  903-a.  New York state COVID-19 heroes loan forgiveness program. 1.
     4  Purpose. The commissioner, in collaboration  with  the  commissioner  of
     5  education,  and  the  president  of the higher education services corpo-
     6  ration, is authorized and directed to establish a New York state  COVID-
     7  19 heroes loan forgiveness program.
     8    2.  Eligibility. To be eligible for an award pursuant to this section,
     9  applicants shall:
    10    (a) be a physician or a professional or practical nurse, nurse practi-
    11  tioner, or clinical nurse specialist, physician assistant or  specialist
    12  assistant  in  New  York  state  in  accordance with sections sixty-five
    13  hundred twenty-four, sixty-nine hundred five,  sixty-nine  hundred  six,
    14  sixty-nine  hundred  ten  and  sixty-nine hundred eleven, and sixty-five
    15  hundred forty-one and sixty-five hundred forty-eight  of  the  education
    16  law; or
    17    (b)  be  a certified first responder, emergency medical technician, or
    18  advanced emergency medical technician, as defined  pursuant  to  section
    19  three thousand one of this chapter; or
    20    (c)  be  an active volunteer firefighter or volunteer ambulance worker
    21  in New York state, as defined pursuant to sections two  hundred  fifteen
    22  and two hundred nineteen-c of the general municipal law; and
    23    (d)  be  a resident of New York state and have served in such capacity
    24  in New York state in direct response to the COVID-19 public health emer-

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01224-01-1
        S. 3320                             2

     1  gency, pursuant to Executive Order 202, issued by the governor on  March
     2  seventh, two thousand twenty.
     3    3.  Awards. The commissioner shall grant awards pursuant to the amount
     4  appropriated for such purpose and based on availability of funds  in  an
     5  amount  up  to  one hundred thousand dollars to individuals who meet the
     6  eligibility requirements of subdivision two of  this  section,  provided
     7  that  loan  repayment  awards  shall  not  exceed  the  total qualifying
     8  outstanding debt from student loans to cover tuition and  other  related
     9  educational  expenses,  made  by  or  guaranteed by the federal or state
    10  government, or made by a lending  or  educational  institution  approved
    11  under  title  IV  of  the  federal  higher education act. Loan repayment
    12  awards shall be used solely to repay such outstanding debt.
    13    4. Rules and regulations. The commissioner is authorized to promulgate
    14  rules and regulations and may promulgate emergency regulations necessary
    15  for the implementation of the provisions of this section.
    16    § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
    17  have become a law.