STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 9033 IN SENATE April 10, 2024 ___________ Introduced by Sens. COONEY, RHOADS, OBERACKER, ROLISON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to providing free SUNY, CUNY and community college tuition to active volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical services providers, and volunteer auxilia- ry police officers The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section 355 of the educa- 2 tion law is amended by adding a new subparagraph 1-a to read as follows: 3 (1-a) The trustees shall implement a program to permit any student who 4 has been admitted to a state-operated institution of the state universi- 5 ty to attend without the payment of tuition and fees if such student 6 serves as an active volunteer firefighter, as defined in subdivision one 7 of section two hundred fifteen of the general municipal law, volunteer 8 emergency medical services provider, or volunteer auxiliary police offi- 9 cer. The provisions of this subparagraph shall only apply to costs of 10 one undergraduate degree and any additional costs associated with more 11 than one simultaneous undergraduate degree shall not be covered by this 12 program. 13 (i) The trustees shall provide an application process and administer 14 the program according to the following criteria: 15 (A) Any student eligible for resident tuition rates is eligible for 16 this program, provided that at the time of application, such student 17 submits proof of membership in good standing of a volunteer fire company 18 or department, volunteer emergency medical services provider or a volun- 19 teer auxiliary police officer of a police department within the state of 20 New York. 21 (B) The student shall be required to maintain status as a member in 22 good standing of the volunteer fire company or department, volunteer 23 emergency medical service provider or police department in which such 24 student serves as an auxiliary police officer through the completion of 25 such student's academic program. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD14725-02-4S. 9033 2 1 (C) The student shall be required to maintain a cumulative grade point 2 average (G.P.A.) of at least 2.5 in order to remain eligible for the 3 program. 4 (ii) If a student or former student fails to fulfill any of the 5 requirements set forth in clause (i) of this subparagraph, the trustees 6 shall convert to a student loan the full amount of the tuition which 7 would have been paid by such student, as determined by the New York 8 state higher education services corporation, plus interest, according to 9 a schedule to be determined by such corporation. Such repayment may also 10 be required if a recipient fails to respond to requests for information 11 necessary to determine continued eligibility or for administration of 12 the program. 13 (iii) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this 14 subparagraph shall be required to apply for tuition assistance program 15 funding. Funds awarded on the tuition assistance program shall be 16 applied towards the cost of tuition prior to an award under this clause. 17 (iv) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this 18 subparagraph and is otherwise eligible for the excelsior scholarship 19 program shall be required to apply for same. Funds awarded through the 20 excelsior scholarship program shall be applied towards the cost of 21 tuition prior to an award under this clause. 22 (v) Students shall be responsible for all other costs including hous- 23 ing, fees and other non-tuition related charges. 24 § 2. Subdivision 7 of section 6206 of the education law is amended by 25 adding a new paragraph (g) to read as follows: 26 (g) The trustees shall implement a program to permit any student who 27 has been admitted to an institution operated by the city university to 28 attend without the payment of tuition and fees if such student fulfills 29 the requirements of such program pursuant to the provisions of this 30 paragraph. 31 (i) The trustees shall provide an application process and administer 32 the program according to the following criteria: 33 (A) Any student eligible for resident tuition rates is eligible for 34 this program, provided that at the time of application, such student 35 submits proof of membership in good standing of a volunteer fire company 36 or department, volunteer medical services provider or a volunteer auxil- 37 iary police officer of a police department within the state of New York. 38 (B) The student shall be required to maintain status as a member in 39 good standing of the volunteer fire company or department, volunteer 40 emergency medical service provider or police department in which such 41 student serves as an auxiliary police officer through the completion of 42 such student's academic program. 43 (C) The student shall be required to maintain a cumulative grade point 44 average (G.P.A.) of at least 2.5 in order to remain eligible for the 45 program. 46 (ii) If a student or former student fails to fulfill any of the 47 requirements set forth in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, the trus- 48 tees shall convert to a student loan the full amount of the tuition 49 which would have been paid by such student, as determined by the New 50 York state higher education services corporation, plus interest, accord- 51 ing to a schedule to be determined by such corporation. Such repayment 52 may also be required if a recipient fails to respond to requests for 53 information necessary to determine continued eligibility or for adminis- 54 tration of the program. 55 (iii) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this 56 paragraph shall be required to apply for tuition assistance programS. 9033 3 1 funding. Funds awarded on the tuition assistance program shall be 2 applied towards the cost of tuition prior to an award under this subpar- 3 agraph. 4 (iv) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this 5 subparagraph and is otherwise eligible for the excelsior scholarship 6 program shall be required to apply for same. Funds awarded through the 7 excelsior scholarship program shall be applied towards the cost of 8 tuition prior to an award under this clause. 9 (v) Students shall be responsible for all other costs including hous- 10 ing, fees and other non-tuition related charges. 11 § 3. Subdivision 1 of section 6304 of the education law is amended by 12 adding a new paragraph e to read as follows: 13 e. The trustees, sponsors or other governing body of a community 14 college shall implement a program to permit any student who has been 15 admitted to such community college to attend without the payment of 16 tuition and fees if such student fulfills the requirements of such 17 program pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph. 18 (i) The trustees shall provide an application process and administer 19 the program according to the following criteria: 20 (A) Any student eligible for resident tuition rates is eligible for 21 this program, provided that at the time of application, such student 22 submits proof of membership in good standing of a volunteer fire company 23 or department, volunteer medical services provider or a volunteer auxil- 24 iary police officer of a police department within the state of New York. 25 (B) The student shall be required to maintain status as a member in 26 good standing of the volunteer fire company or department, volunteer 27 emergency medical service provider or police department in which such 28 student serves as an auxiliary police officer through the completion of 29 such student's academic program. 30 (C) The student shall be required to maintain a cumulative grade point 31 average (G.P.A.) of at least 2.5 in order to remain eligible for the 32 program. 33 (ii) If a student or former student fails to fulfill any of the 34 requirements set forth in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, the trus- 35 tees shall convert to a student loan the full amount of the tuition 36 which would have been paid by such student, as determined by the New 37 York state higher education services corporation, plus interest, accord- 38 ing to a schedule to be determined by such corporation. Such repayment 39 may also be required if a recipient fails to respond to requests for 40 information necessary to determine continued eligibility or for adminis- 41 tration of the program. 42 (iii) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this 43 paragraph shall be required to apply for tuition assistance program 44 funding. Funds awarded on the tuition assistance program shall be 45 applied towards the cost of tuition prior to an award under this subpar- 46 agraph. 47 (iv) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this 48 subparagraph and is otherwise eligible for the excelsior scholarship 49 program shall be required to apply for same. Funds awarded through the 50 excelsior scholarship program shall be applied towards the cost of 51 tuition prior to an award under this clause. 52 (v) Students shall be responsible for all other costs including hous- 53 ing, fees and other non-tuition related charges. 54 § 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 55 have become a law.