NY State Senate Bill 2013-S6677

Senate Bill S6677

2013-2014 Legislative Session

Extends tuition free course benefits to volunteer firefighters or volunteer ambulance workers

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Higher Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 26, 2014	referred to higher education

2013-S6677 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8990
Current Committee:: Senate Higher Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§355 & 6303, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2015-2016: S3125, A6698
2017-2018: S376, A4715
2019-2020: S265, A3515
2021-2022: S3496
2023-2024: S789

2013-S6677 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Extends tuition free course benefits to volunteer firefighters or voluntary ambulance workers, and authorizes the board of trustees of the state university to regulate the conferral of such benefits.

2013-S6677 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S6677

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
extending certain benefits to active volunteer firefighters and active
volunteer ambulance workers

PURPOSE: To allow active volunteer firefighters and active volunteer
ambulance workers to audit courses at the State University of New York
(SUNY) and at community colleges on a tuition-free basis.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill amends section 355 of the education law to allow
active volunteer firefighters and active volunteer ambulance workers
to audit courses at SUNY schools without tuition, examination, grading
or credit.

Section 2 of the bill amends section 6303 of the education law to
allow active volunteer firefighters and active volunteer ambulance
workers to audit courses at community colleges without tuition,
examination, grading or credit.

Section 3 of the bill is the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION: Under current law, persons that are 60 or older are
permitted to audit courses at SUNY schools and community colleges

without tuition, examination, grading or credit. This benefit is
available on a space available basis. This legislation simply extends
this benefit to New York State residents that are active volunteer
firefighters or active volunteer ambulance workers. This bill also
authorizes the board of trustees of the state university to develop
rules that would allow schools to award credit for such audited
courses, if such a school desired to do so.

This legislation will provide a number of benefits to the volunteer
fire service. First, it will serve as an incentive for current
volunteers to continue their service. This is especially true for
those who may be contemplating leaving the volunteer fire service to
further their education for career purposes. Second, the bill will
serve as an incentive for younger individuals to join their local
volunteer fire department or ambulance company. By providing an
opportunity for younger individuals to take a course at the local
college, this bill will attract individuals who may not otherwise
consider joining their local volunteer organizations. Third, this bill
will also provide a meaningful higher education opportunity which
could lead to pursuit of a degree. Ultimately, this bill will provide
for a stronger volunteer fire service to protect our residents and
communities.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
shall have become a law.

2013-S6677 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  6677

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            February 26, 2014
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. MAZIARZ -- 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  extending  certain
  benefits  to  active volunteer firefighters and active volunteer ambu-
  lance workers

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Subparagraph 1 of paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section
355 of the education law, as separately amended by chapters 552 and  616
of the laws of 1985, is amended to read as follows:
  (1)  Notwithstanding  the  provisions of any other general, special or
local law, rule or regulation, such regulations may permit persons sixty
years of age or over, OR RESIDENTS WHO SERVE AS ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER  FIRE-
FIGHTERS AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED FIFTEEN OF
THE  GENERAL  MUNICIPAL LAW, OR AS ACTIVE VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE WORKERS AS
DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION FOURTEEN OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED NINETEEN-K OF THE
GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW to audit courses given  therein  without  tuition,
examination, grading or credit therefor upon a space available basis, as
determined by the president of each such institution, provided that such
audit  attendance  does  not  deny course attendance at a state-operated
institution by an individual who is otherwise qualified under the  regu-
lations  promulgated pursuant to this section.  THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF
THE STATE UNIVERSITY MAY PRESCRIBE REGULATIONS TO AUTHORIZE THE GRANTING
OF COURSE CREDIT FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF AN AUDITED  COURSE  BY  AN
ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER  FIREFIGHTER  OR AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE WORKER.
PURSUANT TO SUCH REGULATIONS, EACH SUCH INSTITUTION MAY,  AS  DETERMINED
BY  ITS  PRESIDENT,  AWARD  CREDIT  FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF SUCH AN
AUDITED COURSE BY AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OR AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER
AMBULANCE WORKER THAT IS CURRENTLY ENROLLED AS A FULL-TIME OR  PART-TIME
STUDENT  IN  SUCH  INSTITUTION  OR  THAT  LATER  BECOMES  ENROLLED  AS A
FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME STUDENT IN SUCH INSTITUTION.
  S 2. Subdivision 5 of section 6303 of the education law, as amended by
chapter 552 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD14169-01-4

S. 6677                             2

  5. Notwithstanding the provisions of any  other  general,  special  or
local  law,  rule  or  regulation, community colleges may permit persons
sixty years of age or over, OR RESIDENTS WHO SERVE AS  ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER
FIREFIGHTERS  AS  DEFINED  IN  SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF  SECTION TWO HUNDRED
FIFTEEN  OF  THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW, OR AS ACTIVE VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE
WORKERS AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION FOURTEEN OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED  NINE-
TEEN-K OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW to audit courses given therein with-
out tuition, examination, grading or credit therefor upon a space avail-
able  basis,  subject  to  the provisions of section sixty-three hundred
four of this [chapter] ARTICLE, as determined by the president  of  each
such  institution,  provided  that  such  audit attendance does not deny
course attendance at a community college by an individual who is  other-
wise  qualified  under  the  regulations  and  the provisions of section
sixty-three hundred four of this [chapter] ARTICLE.  THE BOARD OF  TRUS-
TEES  OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY MAY PRESCRIBE REGULATIONS TO AUTHORIZE THE
GRANTING OF COURSE CREDIT FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF AN AUDITED COURSE
BY AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER  OR  AN  ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER  AMBULANCE
WORKER.  PURSUANT  TO  SUCH  REGULATIONS,  EACH SUCH INSTITUTION MAY, AS
DETERMINED BY ITS PRESIDENT, AWARD CREDIT FOR SUCCESSFUL  COMPLETION  OF
SUCH  AN  AUDITED COURSE BY AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OR AN ACTIVE
VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE WORKER THAT IS CURRENTLY ENROLLED AS A FULL-TIME  OR
PART-TIME  STUDENT IN SUCH INSTITUTION OR THAT LATER BECOMES ENROLLED AS
A FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME STUDENT IN SUCH INSTITUTION. The provisions  of
this  paragraph  shall  not  affect  any state aid to community colleges
granted pursuant to THIS article [one hundred twenty-six of  this  chap-
ter].
  S  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law.

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