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

                                  7287

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               May 1, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. MAGEE -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Higher Education

AN ACT to amend  the  education  law,  in  relation  to  providing  loan
  forgiveness for agriculture educators

  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  679-h
to read as follows:
  S  679-H. NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURE EDUCATORS LOAN FORGIVENESS INCEN-
TIVE PROGRAM. 1. DEFINITION. THE TERM "AGRICULTURE  EDUCATOR"  MEANS  AN
INSTRUCTOR  WHO PROVIDES DIDACTIC INSTRUCTION TO STUDENTS ABOUT AGRICUL-
TURE, FOOD AND NATURAL RESOURCES DELIVERED THROUGH LESSONS  IN  SCIENCE,
COMMUNICATIONS, LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY.
  2.  PURPOSE. THE PRESIDENT SHALL GRANT STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS AWARDS
FOR THE PURPOSE OF ALLEVIATING THE BURDEN OF STUDENT LOAN DEBT FOR AGRI-
CULTURE EDUCATORS TEACHING IN THE FIELD OF AGRICULTURE EDUCATION IN  NEW
YORK  STATE. SUCH AWARDS SHALL BE MADE ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS AS PROMUL-
GATED BY THE CORPORATION FOR SUCH PURPOSES, TO APPLICANTS WHO  MEET  THE
ELIGIBILITY   CRITERIA.   SUCH   RULES  AND  REGULATIONS  SHALL  INCLUDE
PROVISIONS FOR THE CONSIDERATION  OF  APPLICANTS  WHO  ARE  ECONOMICALLY
DISADVANTAGED.
  3.  ELIGIBILITY. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION,
APPLICANTS SHALL:
  (A) HAVE GRADUATED AND OBTAINED A DEGREE FROM  AN  APPROVED  NEW  YORK
STATE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY;
  (B) HAVE AN OUTSTANDING STUDENT LOAN DEBT FROM OBTAINING SUCH DEGREE;
  (C) BE EMPLOYED AS AN AGRICULTURE EDUCATOR IN NEW YORK STATE;
  (D) APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM WITHIN TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE GRADUATION; AND
  (E)  COMPLY  WITH  SUBDIVISIONS  THREE AND FIVE OF SECTION SIX HUNDRED
SIXTY-ONE OF THIS PART.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD07577-02-5

              

A. 7287                             2

  4. AWARDS. THE CORPORATION SHALL  GRANT  SUCH  AWARDS  WITHIN  AMOUNTS
APPROPRIATED FOR SUCH PURPOSES AND BASED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.
  S  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law.