BILL NUMBER: S878

SPONSOR: RIVERA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to certain tuition waiv-
ers for police officer students of the state university of New York and
the city university of New York; and providing for the repeal of certain
provisions upon expiration thereof

 
PURPOSE:

This bill requires tuition waivers for up to two courses per
semester/quarter for police officer students in baccalaureate or higher
degree programs at SUNY and CUNY.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section 355 of the education law is
amended by adding a new subparagraph 1-a to read as follows:

              

(1-a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general, special or
local law, rule or regulation, such regulations shall permit police
officers, as that term is defined in section two hundred nine-q of the
general municipal law, enrolled in programs leading to baccalaureate or
higher degrees at state-operated institutions of the state university to
attend up to two courses per semester or quarter without tuition,
provided that such tuition-waived attendance does not deny course
attendance at a state-operated institution by an individual who is
otherwise qualified under the regulations promulgated pursuant to this
section.

Subdivision 7 of section 6206 of the education law is amended by adding
a new paragraph (c) to read as follows:

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general, special or
local law, rule or regulations, the board of trustees shall promulgate
regulations to permit police officers, as that term is defined in
section two-hundred nine-q of the general municipal law, enrolled in
programs leading to a baccalaureate or higher degrees at a senior
college of the city university to attend up to two courses per semester
or quarter without tuition, provided that such tuition-waived attendance
does not deny course attendance at a senior college of the city univer-
sity by an individual who is otherwise qualified under this section.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

This measure, based on a tuition waiver program sponsored by John Jay
College of Criminal Justice during the late 1970s through the 1980s,
submitted in accordance with Senate Rule VI. Sec 1 provides a strong
incentive for police officers to pursue higher education by authorizing
tuition waivers for up to two courses per semester/quarter for police
officer students in baccalaureate or higher degree programs at SONY and
CONY.

The rationale for the highly successful John Jay tuition waiver program,
also applicable-to this measure, was to provide an incentive for public
safety personnel to pursue education early in their careers so that the
taxpaying citizens would enjoy the greatest long-term benefit from an
educated public safety service. There was also the recognition that,
early in their careers, public safety officers are not well paid, and
are often burdened with significant family-related financial responsi-
bilities. When the waiver program was introduced, and police officers
were provided at least on course free of charge, the number of officers
enrolled at John Jay increased dramatically. Moreover, many officers
enrolled in one or more additional courses at their own expense. A
number of police officers graduating from John Jay when the tuition
waiver program was available indicated that the program was the incen-
tive that encouraged them to start or return to college.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2013-2014: S1788

2015-2016: S771A

2017-2018: S1091

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.