S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5533
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 10, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ENGLEBRIGHT -- 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.
              

                                                            LBD03506-01-7

 A. 5533                             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  OFFICE  OF  FIRE  PREVENTION  AND  CONTROL
 AND/OR  ANY  STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION THAT REPRESENTS THE INTERESTS OF THE
 VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE OR THE VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SERVICE.
   § 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.