S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6969
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 29, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. BUTTENSCHON, SANTABARBARA, WOERNER -- read once
   and referred to the Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to  the  volunteer  fire-
   fighters of New York higher education learning plan
 
   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  669-i
 to read as follows:
   §  669-I. VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS OF NEW YORK HIGHER EDUCATION LEARNING
 PLAN. 1. ELIGIBILITY. UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WHO ARE MATRICULATED IN  AN
 APPROVED  UNDERGRADUATE  PROGRAM AT THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AND
 ARE MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING IN ONE OF NEW YORK'S VOLUNTEER FIRE  COMPA-
 NIES  SHALL  BE  ELIGIBLE  FOR AN AWARD UNDER THIS SECTION, PROVIDED THE
 APPLICANT: (A) SIGNS A CONTRACT WITH THE CORPORATION  AGREEING  TO  WORK
 FOR  A  NEW  YORK  VOLUNTEER  FIRE COMPANY ON A FULL-TIME BASIS FOR FIVE
 YEARS; AND (B) COMPLIES WITH THE APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF  THIS  ARTICLE
 AND  ALL  REQUIREMENTS  PROMULGATED  BY THE CORPORATION FOR THE ADMINIS-
 TRATION OF THE PROGRAM.
   2. WITHIN THE AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED THEREFOR, AWARDS SHALL  BE  GRANTED
 TO APPLICANTS THAT THE CORPORATION HAS CERTIFIED ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE
 SUCH  AWARDS. SUCH AWARDS SHALL BE MADE TO RECIPIENTS AFTER THE SUCCESS-
 FUL COMPLETION OF EACH ACADEMIC YEAR, AS DEFINED BY THE CORPORATION.
   3. AN AWARD SHALL ENTITLE THE RECIPIENT TO  ANNUAL  PAYMENTS  FOR  NOT
 MORE THAN FOUR ACADEMIC YEARS OF FULL-TIME UNDERGRADUATE STUDY.
   4.  RECIPIENTS  SHALL  RECEIVE  AN  ANNUAL  PAYMENT FOR THE SUCCESSFUL
 COMPLETION OF AN ACADEMIC YEAR, EQUAL TO UP TO ONE  HUNDRED  PERCENT  OF
 THE  ANNUAL  TUITION  CHARGED  TO  STATE  RESIDENT STUDENTS ATTENDING AN
 UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM FULL-TIME AT THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK,  OR
 ACTUAL TUITION CHARGED, WHICHEVER IS LESS.
   5.  THE CORPORATION SHALL CONVERT TO A STUDENT LOAN THE FULL AMOUNT OF
 THE AWARD GIVEN PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION PLUS INTEREST, ACCORDING  TO  A
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD10488-01-9

 A. 6969                             2
 
 SCHEDULE  TO  BE DETERMINED BY THE CORPORATION IF: (A) A RECIPIENT FAILS
 TO COMPLETE THEIR COURSE OF STUDIES AS AGREED TO WITH THE CORPORATION OR
 IS NOT A MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING IN A NEW YORK  VOLUNTEER  FIRE  COMPANY
 WHILE OBTAINING HIS OR HER DEGREE; OR (B) TWO YEARS AFTER THE COMPLETION
 OF THEIR COURSE OF STUDIES AS AGREED TO WITH THE CORPORATION IT IS FOUND
 THAT THE RECIPIENT IS NOT WORKING FOR A NEW YORK VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY;
 OR  (C) A RECIPIENT HAS NOT WORKED FOR A NEW YORK VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY
 FOR FIVE OF THE SEVEN YEARS AFTER THE  COMPLETION  OF  THEIR  COURSE  OF
 STUDIES  AS  AGREED TO WITH THE CORPORATION; OR (D) A RECIPIENT FAILS TO
 RESPOND TO REQUESTS BY THE FIREMAN'S ASSOCIATION OF  THE  STATE  OF  NEW
 YORK FOR THE STATUS OF HIS OR HER ACADEMIC OR PROFESSIONAL PROGRESS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.