S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2279
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 14, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of A. SIMON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ASHBY,
   CAHILL, COOK,  DAVILA,  ENGLEBRIGHT,  GOTTFRIED,  LUPARDO,  OTIS,  RA,
   SEAWRIGHT, WALKER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher
   Education
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the education law, in relation to creating the adult
   student grant program

   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. THE ADULT  STUDENT  GRANT  PROGRAM.  1.  PURPOSE.  THE  ADULT
 STUDENT  GRANT PROGRAM IS HEREBY CREATED TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL AID GRANTS
 TO ADULTS RETURNING TO COLLEGE OR SEEKING CAREER EDUCATION AND TRAINING.
   2. DEFINITIONS.  A. "GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING" FOR THE PURPOSES OF  THIS
 SECTION  MEANS  RETAINING  A  MINIMUM  GRADE POINT AVERAGE OF 2.5 OR THE
 EQUIVALENT.
   B. "PARTICIPATING INSTITUTION" FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION  MEANS
 ANY  INSTITUTION  OF HIGHER EDUCATION THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE UNIVERSITY
 OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AS ENUMERATED IN SECTION TWO  HUNDRED  FOURTEEN
 OF THIS TITLE.
   C.  "COST OF ATTENDANCE" SHALL MEAN TUITION, REQUIRED FEES, LABORATORY
 AND OTHER INSTRUCTION RELATED TO EXPENSES,  BOOKS,  TRANSPORTATION,  AND
 ROOM AND BOARD.
   3.  ELIGIBILITY. THE ADULT STUDENT GRANT PROGRAM SHALL BE AVAILABLE TO
 THOSE PERSONS:
   A. WHO ARE (I) A CITIZEN OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  OR  (II)  AN  ALIEN
 LAWFULLY ADMITTED FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN THE UNITED STATES, OR (III)
 AN  INDIVIDUAL OF A CLASS OF REFUGEES PAROLED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF
 THE UNITED STATES UNDER HIS OR HER PAROLE AUTHORITY  PERTAINING  TO  THE
 ADMISSION OF ALIENS TO THE UNITED STATES;
   B. WHO REMAIN IN GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD01055-01-1

 A. 2279                             2
 
   C.  WHO ATTEND A PARTICIPATING INSTITUTION FOR AT LEAST THREE SEMESTER
 HOURS;
   D.  WHO  ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR AWARDS UNDER SECTIONS SIX HUNDRED SIXTY-
 SIX, SIX HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN,  OR  SIX  HUNDRED  SIXTY-SEVEN-C  OF  THIS
 SUBPART; AND
   E. WHO HAVE BEEN EITHER A LEGAL RESIDENT OF THE STATE FOR AT LEAST ONE
 YEAR  IMMEDIATELY  PRECEDING  THE  BEGINNING OF THE SEMESTER, QUARTER OR
 TERM OF ATTENDANCE FOR WHICH APPLICATION FOR  THE  ADULT  STUDENT  GRANT
 PROGRAM  IS MADE. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS ARTICLE TO
 THE CONTRARY, THE NEW YORK STATE RESIDENCY ELIGIBILITY  REQUIREMENT  FOR
 THIS  PROGRAM  IS  WAIVED  FOR A MEMBER, OR THE SPOUSE OR DEPENDENT OF A
 MEMBER, OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED  STATES  ON  FULL-TIME  ACTIVE
 DUTY AND STATIONED IN THIS STATE.
   4.  GRANTS.  THE ANNUAL ADULT STUDENT GRANTS SHALL BE FOR AN AMOUNT UP
 TO ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS OR THE COST OF  TUITION,  WHICHEVER
 IS  LESS.  IN  NO  EVENT SHALL THE AMOUNT OF THE ANNUAL GRANT EXCEED THE
 RECIPIENT'S COST OF ATTENDANCE AT THE INSTITUTION ATTENDED.  THE  CORPO-
 RATION  SHALL  PROVIDE  SUCH  GRANTS WITHIN THE AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED FOR
 SUCH PURPOSE AND BASED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS. A  RECIPIENT  SHALL
 RECEIVE NO MORE THAN SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS IN ADULT STUDENT GRANTS.
   5.  PRIORITY.  PRIORITY  WILL  BE GIVEN TO APPLICANTS THAT DEMONSTRATE
 FINANCIAL NEED AS DETERMINED BY THE CORPORATION.
   6. RULES. THE CORPORATION IS AUTHORIZED TO PROMULGATE RULES AND  REGU-
 LATIONS,  AND  MAY  PROMULGATE  EMERGENCY REGULATIONS, FOR THE NECESSARY
 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.