S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4011
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 1, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. SALKA -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend  the  education  law,  in  relation  to  providing  loan
   forgiveness for agriculture educators
 
   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  679-k
 to read as follows:
   §  679-K. NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURE EDUCATORS LOAN FORGIVENESS INCEN-
 TIVE PROGRAM. 1. DEFINITION. THE TERM "AGRICULTURE  EDUCATOR"  MEANS  AN
 INSTRUCTOR  WHO PROVIDES DIDACTIC INSTRUCTION TO STUDENTS ABOUT AGRICUL-
 TURE, FOOD AND NATURAL RESOURCES DELIVERED THROUGH LESSONS  IN  SCIENCE,
 COMMUNICATIONS, LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY.
   2.  PURPOSE. THE PRESIDENT SHALL GRANT STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS AWARDS
 FOR THE PURPOSE OF ALLEVIATING THE BURDEN OF STUDENT LOAN DEBT FOR AGRI-
 CULTURE EDUCATORS TEACHING IN THE FIELD OF AGRICULTURE EDUCATION IN  NEW
 YORK  STATE. SUCH AWARDS SHALL BE MADE ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS AS PROMUL-
 GATED BY THE CORPORATION FOR SUCH PURPOSES, TO APPLICANTS WHO  MEET  THE
 ELIGIBILITY   CRITERIA.   SUCH   RULES  AND  REGULATIONS  SHALL  INCLUDE
 PROVISIONS FOR THE CONSIDERATION  OF  APPLICANTS  WHO  ARE  ECONOMICALLY
 DISADVANTAGED.
   3.  ELIGIBILITY. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION,
 APPLICANTS SHALL:
   (A) HAVE GRADUATED AND OBTAINED A DEGREE FROM  AN  APPROVED  NEW  YORK
 STATE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY;
   (B) HAVE AN OUTSTANDING STUDENT LOAN DEBT FROM OBTAINING SUCH DEGREE;
   (C)  BE EMPLOYED AS A FULL-TIME AGRICULTURE EDUCATOR IN NEW YORK STATE
 FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS;
   (D) RESIDE IN NEW YORK STATE FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS POST GRADUATION;
   (E) APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM WITHIN TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE GRADUATION; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07879-01-1
              

 A. 4011                             2
 
   (F) COMPLY WITH SUBDIVISIONS THREE AND FIVE  OF  SECTION  SIX  HUNDRED
 SIXTY-ONE OF THIS PART.
   4.  AWARDS.  THE  CORPORATION  SHALL  GRANT SUCH AWARDS WITHIN AMOUNTS
 APPROPRIATED FOR SUCH PURPOSES AND BASED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.