S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  5519

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 28, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. GABRYSZAK, JAFFEE, CAHILL, LUPARDO, SCHIMMINGER,
  GUNTHER, P. LOPEZ, BROOK-KRASNY -- Multi-Sponsored  by  --  M.  of  A.
  BOYLAND,  CROUCH,  FINCH,  GIGLIO,  MAGEE,  McDONOUGH, McKEVITT, OAKS,
  RAIA, SWEENEY, ZEBROWSKI -- read once and referred to the Committee on
  Higher Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a  volun-
  teer  firefighters  and  emergency  medical  service volunteer tuition
  assistance grant program

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

  Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 609 to
read as follows:
  S  609. VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE VOLUNTEER
TUITION ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM. 1. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS  SECTION,  THE
FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
  A.  "VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER" SHALL MEAN AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER MEMBER OF A
FIRE COMPANY OF A COUNTY, A FIRE COMPANY OF  A  CITY,  TOWN  OR  VILLAGE
LOCATED  WITHIN  SUCH COUNTY, OR A FIRE DISTRICT FIRE DEPARTMENT LOCATED
WITHIN SUCH COUNTY, WHETHER OR NOT  ANY  SUCH  COMPANY  IS  INCORPORATED
UNDER ANY GENERAL OR SPECIAL LAW.
  B.  "VOLUNTEER  EMERGENCY  MEDICAL  SERVICE  PERSONNEL"  SHALL MEAN AN
ACTIVE VOLUNTEER MEMBER OF ANY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE AS  ESTABLISHED
WITHIN A COUNTY, TOWN, VILLAGE OR CITY OR LOCAL TAX DISTRICT, WHETHER OR
NOT ANY SUCH SERVICE IS INCORPORATED UNDER ANY GENERAL OR SPECIAL LAW.
  C. "AT LEAST A PART-TIME BASIS" SHALL MEAN ENROLLMENT FOR AT LEAST SIX
HOURS PER SEMESTER OR FOUR HOURS PER QUARTER.
  D.  "TUITION" SHALL MEAN THE TOTAL SEMESTER, QUARTER OR CLASSROOM HOUR
COST OF INSTRUCTION TO THE STUDENT AT A  STATE-OPERATED  INSTITUTION  OR
COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AS DEFINED PURSUANT TO SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY OF
THIS CHAPTER, EXCLUDING MANDATORY FEES, BOOK CHARGES AND ROOM AND BOARD.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD02424-01-3

              

A. 5519                             2

  2.  ANY COUNTY WITHIN THE STATE IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED, BY THE ENACTMENT
OF   A   LOCAL   LAW,   TO   ESTABLISH   AND   IMPLEMENT   A   VOLUNTEER
FIREFIGHTERS/EMERGENCY  MEDICAL  SERVICE  VOLUNTEER  TUITION  ASSISTANCE
GRANT   PROGRAM   TO   PROVIDE   TUITION   ASSISTANCE    TO    VOLUNTEER
FIREFIGHTERS/EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE VOLUNTEERS ENROLLED ON AT LEAST A
PART-TIME  BASIS AT STATE-OPERATED INSTITUTIONS OR COMMUNITY COLLEGES AS
THOSE TERMS ARE DEFINED IN SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY OF THIS  CHAPTER.
ANY  PROGRAM  ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL PROVIDE TUITION
ASSISTANCE  GRANTS  TO  SUCH  VOLUNTEER  FIREFIGHTERS/EMERGENCY  MEDICAL
SERVICE  VOLUNTEERS  IN  AN  AMOUNT  UP  TO FIFTY PERCENT OF THE TUITION
REQUIRED TO BE PAID TO  SUCH  STATE-OPERATED  INSTITUTION  OR  COMMUNITY
COLLEGE BY SUCH FIREFIGHTER/EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE VOLUNTEER.
  3.  ANY  COUNTY  WHICH  ESTABLISHES A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS/EMERGENCY
MEDICAL SERVICE VOLUNTEER TUITION ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM  PURSUANT  TO
THE  PROVISIONS  OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FROM
THE STATE FOR ONE-HALF OF THE ACTUAL COST OF TUITION ASSISTANCE PAID  BY
SUCH  COUNTY  TO  VOLUNTEER  FIREFIGHTERS  OR  EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE
PERSONNEL.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to academ-
ic semesters, quarters and classroom hours beginning on or after January
1, 2015.