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

                                  2896

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 20, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A. ENGLEBRIGHT -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
  CERETTO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to certain service learn-
  ing, internship, or independent study programs

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

  Section 1. Section 355 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 20 to read as follows:
  20. THE STATE UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO ESTABLISH
A  SERVICE  LEARNING,  INTERNSHIP,  OR  INDEPENDENT  STUDY  PROGRAM  FOR
STUDENTS THAT SERVE  AS  ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER  FIREFIGHTERS  AND/OR  ACTIVE
VOLUNTEER  AMBULANCE WORKERS. EACH STATE-OPERATED INSTITUTION AND COMMU-
NITY COLLEGE MAY, AS DETERMINED BY ITS PRESIDENT, OFFER SUCH  A  SERVICE
LEARNING,  INTERNSHIP, OR INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM TO ELIGIBLE STUDENTS
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REGULATIONS PRESCRIBED BY  THE  STATE  UNIVERSITY
TRUSTEES.  SUCH  PROGRAM SHALL CONSIST OF (A) A COMMUNITY SERVICE COMPO-
NENT THAT MAY BE COMPLETED THROUGH NO LESS THAN TWENTY HOURS OF  VERIFI-
ABLE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTING ACTIVITIES, VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE OR EMERGENCY
RESPONSE  ACTIVITIES,  OR  OTHER ACTIVITIES RELATED TO VOLUNTEER FIRE OR
AMBULANCE SERVICE AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE  UNIVERSITY  TRUSTEES,  AND
(B) AN ACADEMIC COMPONENT RELATED TO SUCH VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY THAT MAY BE
COMPLETED  THROUGH A WRITTEN REPORT OR JOURNAL, OR OTHER WRITTEN ASSIGN-
MENT AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES. SUCH PROGRAM  SHALL
BE  OPEN  TO  ANY  STUDENT  ENROLLED  IN  AN  ASSOCIATE OR BACCALAUREATE
DEGREE-PRODUCING PROGRAM ON A FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME BASIS  THAT  IS  AN
ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER  FIREFIGHTER  AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION
TWO HUNDRED FIFTEEN OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW OR AN ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER
AMBULANCE  WORKER  AS  DEFINED  IN  SUBDIVISION  FOURTEEN OF SECTION TWO
HUNDRED NINETEEN-K OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL  LAW.    NO  MORE  THAN  SIX
ACADEMIC CREDITS SHALL BE AWARDED TO A STUDENT FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION
OF  SUCH  SERVICE  LEARNING, INTERNSHIP OR INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM. IN

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD02132-01-5
              

A. 2896                             2

DEVELOPING THE SERVICE LEARNING, INTERNSHIP OR INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM
DESCRIBED IN THIS SUBDIVISION, THE STATE UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES MAY, IN ITS
DISCRETION, CONSULT WITH THE NEW YORK STATE OFFICE  OF  FIRE  PREVENTION
AND CONTROL AND/OR ANY STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION THAT REPRESENTS THE INTER-
ESTS OF THE VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE OR THE VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE.
  S  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law; provided however  that,  effective  immediately,  the
state  university  trustees  are  authorized  and directed to add, amend
and/or repeal any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
this act on its effective date.