S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  2680--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 22, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  ADDABBO, BROOKS, GAUGHRAN, HARCKHAM, KAPLAN, LIU,
   SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed,  and  when  printed  to  be
   committed   to   the   Committee  on  Higher  Education  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the education law,  in  relation  to  granting  academic
   credit  at  state operated institutions of the state university of New
   York and the city university of New York to veterans
 
   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 21 to read as follows:
   21.  A.  FOR  PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TERM "VETERAN" MEANS A
 PERSON WHO SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY, NAVY, AIR  FORCE,  MARINES,
 COAST GUARD, AND/OR RESERVES THEREOF, AND/OR IN THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD,
 AIR NATIONAL GUARD, NEW YORK GUARD AND/OR NEW YORK NAVAL MILITIA AND WHO
 (1) HAS RECEIVED AN HONORABLE OR GENERAL DISCHARGE FROM SUCH SERVICE, OR
 (2)  HAS  A  QUALIFYING  CONDITION,  AS DEFINED IN SECTION THREE HUNDRED
 FIFTY OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW, AND HAS RECEIVED A DISCHARGE OTHER THAN  BAD
 CONDUCT  OR  DISHONORABLE FROM SUCH SERVICE, OR (3) IS A DISCHARGED LGBT
 VETERAN, AS DEFINED IN SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW,
 AND HAS RECEIVED A DISCHARGE OTHER THAN BAD CONDUCT OR DISHONORABLE FROM
 SUCH SERVICE.
   B. EVERY VETERAN WHO IS ENROLLED ON A FULL-TIME BASIS AS AN UNDERGRAD-
 UATE STUDENT IN GOOD  STANDING,  AT  AN  INSTITUTION  WITHIN  THE  STATE
 UNIVERSITY  SYSTEM,  SHALL  UPON APPLICATION BE GRANTED ACADEMIC CREDITS
 WITHOUT LIMITATION TOWARDS HIS OR HER DEGREE FOR COMPLETION  OF  COURSES
 THAT  WERE  PART  OF  SUCH VETERAN'S MILITARY TRAINING OR SERVICE IF THE
 COMPLETED COURSES MEET THE STANDARDS OF THE  INSTITUTION  AWARDING  SUCH
 CREDITS.  NO  FEE,  TUITION  OR OTHER CHARGE SHALL BE ASSESSED AGAINST A
 VETERAN WHO QUALIFIES FOR SUCH CREDIT PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD05081-03-1

 S. 2680--A                          2
 
   C. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL ADOPT SUCH PROCEDURES AS ARE  NECESSARY
 TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   §  2.  Section  6206  of  the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 21 to read as follows:
   21. A. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TERM  "VETERAN"  MEANS  A
 PERSON  WHO  SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, MARINES,
 COAST GUARD, AND/OR RESERVES THEREOF, AND/OR IN THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD,
 AIR NATIONAL GUARD, NEW YORK GUARD AND/OR NEW YORK NAVAL MILITIA AND WHO
 (1) HAS RECEIVED AN HONORABLE OR GENERAL DISCHARGE FROM SUCH SERVICE, OR
 (2) HAS A QUALIFYING CONDITION, AS  DEFINED  IN  SECTION  THREE  HUNDRED
 FIFTY  OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW, AND HAS RECEIVED A DISCHARGE OTHER THAN BAD
 CONDUCT OR DISHONORABLE FROM SUCH SERVICE, OR (3) IS A  DISCHARGED  LGBT
 VETERAN, AS DEFINED IN SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW,
 AND HAS RECEIVED A DISCHARGE OTHER THAN BAD CONDUCT OR DISHONORABLE FROM
 SUCH SERVICE.
   B. EVERY VETERAN WHO IS ENROLLED ON A FULL-TIME BASIS AS AN UNDERGRAD-
 UATE STUDENT IN GOOD STANDING, AT AN INSTITUTION WITHIN THE CITY UNIVER-
 SITY  SYSTEM, SHALL UPON APPLICATION BE GRANTED ACADEMIC CREDITS WITHOUT
 LIMITATION TOWARDS HIS OR HER DEGREE FOR COMPLETION OF COURSES THAT WERE
 PART OF SUCH VETERAN'S MILITARY TRAINING OR  SERVICE  IF  THE  COMPLETED
 COURSES  MEET THE STANDARDS OF THE INSTITUTION AWARDING SUCH CREDITS. NO
 FEE, TUITION OR OTHER CHARGE SHALL BE ASSESSED  AGAINST  A  VETERAN  WHO
 QUALIFIES FOR SUCH CREDIT PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION.
   C.  THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL ADOPT SUCH PROCEDURES AS ARE NECESSARY
 TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.