S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2917
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 23, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to providing  free  SUNY,
   CUNY and community college tuition to volunteer firefighters
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section 355 of  the  educa-
 tion law is amended by adding a new subparagraph 1-a to read as follows:
   (1-A) THE TRUSTEES SHALL IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM TO PERMIT ANY STUDENT WHO
 HAS BEEN ADMITTED TO A STATE-OPERATED INSTITUTION OF THE STATE UNIVERSI-
 TY  TO  ATTEND  WITHOUT  THE PAYMENT OF TUITION AND FEES IF SUCH STUDENT
 SERVES AS AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION  ONE
 OF  SECTION  TWO  HUNDRED  FIFTEEN  OF  THE  GENERAL  MUNICIPAL LAW. THE
 PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBPARAGRAPH SHALL ONLY APPLY TO COSTS OF ONE  UNDER-
 GRADUATE  DEGREE  AND ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH MORE THAN ONE
 SIMULTANEOUS UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE SHALL NOT BE COVERED BY THIS PROGRAM.
   (I) THE TRUSTEES SHALL PROVIDE AN APPLICATION PROCESS  AND  ADMINISTER
 THE PROGRAM ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
   (A)  ANY  STUDENT  ELIGIBLE FOR RESIDENT TUITION RATES IS ELIGIBLE FOR
 THIS PROGRAM.
   (B) THE STUDENT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO  SERVE  AS  AN  ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER
 FIREFIGHTER THROUGH THE COMPLETION OF HIS OR HER ACADEMIC PROGRAM.
   (C) STUDENTS SHALL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THEIR DEGREE PROGRAM WITHIN
 A  MINIMUM  PERIOD  OF  TIME TO BE SET BY THE TRUSTEES WHICH SHALL BE NO
 FEWER THAN THREE YEARS AND NO MORE THAN FIVE YEARS.
   (D) THE STUDENT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT
 AVERAGE (G.P.A.)  OF AT LEAST 2.5 IN ORDER TO REMAIN  ELIGIBLE  FOR  THE
 PROGRAM.
   (II)  IF  A  STUDENT  OR  FORMER  STUDENT  FAILS TO FULFILL ANY OF THE
 REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN CLAUSE (I) OF THIS SUBPARAGRAPH, THE  TRUSTEES
 SHALL  CONVERT  TO  A  STUDENT LOAN THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE TUITION WHICH
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD04712-01-7

 A. 2917                             2
 
 WOULD HAVE BEEN PAID BY SUCH STUDENT, AS  DETERMINED  BY  THE  NEW  YORK
 STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES CORPORATION, PLUS INTEREST, ACCORDING TO
 A SCHEDULE TO BE DETERMINED BY SUCH CORPORATION. SUCH REPAYMENT MAY ALSO
 BE  REQUIRED IF A RECIPIENT FAILS TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION
 NECESSARY TO DETERMINE CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY OR  FOR  ADMINISTRATION  OF
 THE PROGRAM.
   (III)  ANY STUDENT WHO ELECTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM UNDER THIS
 SUBPARAGRAPH SHALL BE REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR TUITION  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM
 FUNDING.  FUNDS  AWARDED  ON  THE  TUITION  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM SHALL BE
 APPLIED TOWARDS THE COST OF TUITION PRIOR TO AN AWARD UNDER THIS SUBPAR-
 AGRAPH.
   (IV) STUDENTS SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OTHER COSTS INCLUDING HOUS-
 ING, FEES AND OTHER NON-TUITION RELATED CHARGES.
   § 2. Subdivision 7 of section 6206 of the education law is amended  by
 adding a new paragraph (d) to read as follows:
   (D)  THE  TRUSTEES SHALL IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM TO PERMIT ANY STUDENT WHO
 HAS BEEN ADMITTED TO AN INSTITUTION OPERATED BY THE CITY  UNIVERSITY  TO
 ATTEND  WITHOUT THE PAYMENT OF TUITION AND FEES IF SUCH STUDENT FULFILLS
 THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUCH PROGRAM PURSUANT  TO  THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS
 PARAGRAPH.
   (I)  THE  TRUSTEES SHALL PROVIDE AN APPLICATION PROCESS AND ADMINISTER
 THE PROGRAM ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
   (A) ANY STUDENT ELIGIBLE FOR RESIDENT TUITION RATES  IS  ELIGIBLE  FOR
 THIS PROGRAM.
   (B)  THE  STUDENT  SHALL  BE  REQUIRED TO SERVE AS AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER
 FIREFIGHTER THROUGH THE COMPLETION OF HIS OR HER ACADEMIC PROGRAM.
   (C) STUDENTS SHALL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THEIR DEGREE PROGRAM WITHIN
 A MINIMUM PERIOD OF TIME TO BE SET BY THE TRUSTEES  WHICH  SHALL  BE  NO
 FEWER THAN THREE YEARS AND NO MORE THAN FIVE YEARS.
   (D) THE STUDENT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT
 AVERAGE  (G.P.A.)    OF AT LEAST 2.5 IN ORDER TO REMAIN ELIGIBLE FOR THE
 PROGRAM.
   (II) IF A STUDENT OR FORMER  STUDENT  FAILS  TO  FULFILL  ANY  OF  THE
 REQUIREMENTS  SET FORTH IN SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH, THE TRUS-
 TEES SHALL CONVERT TO A STUDENT LOAN THE  FULL  AMOUNT  OF  THE  TUITION
 WHICH  WOULD  HAVE  BEEN  PAID BY SUCH STUDENT, AS DETERMINED BY THE NEW
 YORK STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES CORPORATION, PLUS INTEREST, ACCORD-
 ING TO A SCHEDULE TO BE DETERMINED BY SUCH CORPORATION.  SUCH  REPAYMENT
 MAY  ALSO  BE  REQUIRED  IF A RECIPIENT FAILS TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR
 INFORMATION NECESSARY TO DETERMINE CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY OR FOR ADMINIS-
 TRATION OF THE PROGRAM.
   (III) ANY STUDENT WHO ELECTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM UNDER  THIS
 PARAGRAPH  SHALL  BE  REQUIRED  TO  APPLY FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
 FUNDING. FUNDS AWARDED  ON  THE  TUITION  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM  SHALL  BE
 APPLIED TOWARDS THE COST OF TUITION PRIOR TO AN AWARD UNDER THIS SUBPAR-
 AGRAPH.
   (IV) STUDENTS SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OTHER COSTS INCLUDING HOUS-
 ING, FEES AND OTHER NON-TUITION RELATED CHARGES.
   §  3. Subdivision 1 of section 6304 of the education law is amended by
 adding a new paragraph e to read as follows:
   E. THE TRUSTEES, SPONSORS OR  OTHER  GOVERNING  BODY  OF  A  COMMUNITY
 COLLEGE  SHALL  IMPLEMENT  A  PROGRAM TO PERMIT ANY STUDENT WHO HAS BEEN
 ADMITTED TO SUCH COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO  ATTEND  WITHOUT  THE  PAYMENT  OF
 TUITION  AND  FEES  IF  SUCH  STUDENT  FULFILLS THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUCH
 PROGRAM PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS PARAGRAPH.

 A. 2917                             3
 
   (I) THE TRUSTEES SHALL PROVIDE AN APPLICATION PROCESS  AND  ADMINISTER
 THE PROGRAM ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
   (A)  ANY  STUDENT  ELIGIBLE FOR RESIDENT TUITION RATES IS ELIGIBLE FOR
 THIS PROGRAM.
   (B) THE STUDENT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO  SERVE  AS  AN  ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER
 FIREFIGHTER THROUGH THE COMPLETION OF HIS OR HER ACADEMIC PROGRAM.
   (C) STUDENTS SHALL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THEIR DEGREE PROGRAM WITHIN
 A  MINIMUM  PERIOD  OF  TIME TO BE SET BY THE TRUSTEES WHICH SHALL BE NO
 FEWER THAN THREE YEARS AND NO MORE THAN FIVE YEARS.
   (D) THE STUDENT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN A CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT
 AVERAGE (G.P.A.) OF AT LEAST 2.5 IN ORDER TO  REMAIN  ELIGIBLE  FOR  THE
 PROGRAM.
   (II)  IF  A  STUDENT  OR  FORMER  STUDENT  FAILS TO FULFILL ANY OF THE
 REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH, THE  TRUS-
 TEES  SHALL  CONVERT  TO  A  STUDENT LOAN THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE TUITION
 WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN PAID BY SUCH STUDENT, AS  DETERMINED  BY  THE  NEW
 YORK STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES CORPORATION, PLUS INTEREST, ACCORD-
 ING  TO  A SCHEDULE TO BE DETERMINED BY SUCH CORPORATION. SUCH REPAYMENT
 MAY ALSO BE REQUIRED IF A RECIPIENT FAILS TO  RESPOND  TO  REQUESTS  FOR
 INFORMATION NECESSARY TO DETERMINE CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY OR FOR ADMINIS-
 TRATION OF THE PROGRAM.
   (III)  ANY STUDENT WHO ELECTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM UNDER THIS
 PARAGRAPH SHALL BE REQUIRED TO  APPLY  FOR  TUITION  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM
 FUNDING.  FUNDS  AWARDED  ON  THE  TUITION  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM SHALL BE
 APPLIED TOWARDS THE COST OF TUITION PRIOR TO AN AWARD UNDER THIS SUBPAR-
 AGRAPH.
   (IV) STUDENTS SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OTHER COSTS INCLUDING HOUS-
 ING, FEES AND OTHER NON-TUITION RELATED CHARGES.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.