NY State Senate Bill 2021-S3496

Senate Bill S3496

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Extends tuition free course benefits to volunteer firefighters or volunteer ambulance workers

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Higher Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to higher education
Jan 29, 2021	referred to higher education

2021-S3496 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Higher Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§355 & 6303, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: S6677
2015-2016: S3125
2017-2018: S376
2019-2020: S265
2023-2024: S789

2021-S3496 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Extends tuition free course benefits to volunteer firefighters or voluntary ambulance workers, and authorizes the board of trustees of the state university to regulate the conferral of such benefits.

2021-S3496 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S3496

SPONSOR: ORTT
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to extending certain
benefits to active volunteer firefighters and active volunteer ambulance
workers

 
PURPOSE:

To allow active volunteer firefighters and active volunteer ambulance
workers to audit courses at the State University of New York (SUNY) and
at community colleges on a tuition-free basis.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill amends section 355 of the education law to allow
active volunteer firefighters and active volunteer ambulance workers to
audit courses at SUNY schools without tuition, examination, grading or
credit.

Section 2 of the bill amends section 6303 of the education law to allow
active volunteer firefighters and active volunteer ambulance workers to
audit courses at community colleges without tuition, examination, grad-
ing or credit.

Section 3 of the bill is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Under current law, persons that are 60 or older are permitted to audit
courses at SUNY schools and community colleges without tuition, examina-
tion, grading or credit. This benefit is available on a space available
basis. This legislation simply extends this benefit to New York State
residents that are active volunteer firefighters or active volunteer
ambulance workers. This bill also authorizes the board of trustees of
the state university to develop rules that would allow schools to award
credit for such audited courses, if such a school desired to do so.

This legislation will provide a number of benefits to the volunteer fire
service. First, it will serve as an incentive for current volunteers to
continue their service. This is especially true for those who may be
contemplating leaving the volunteer fire service to further their educa-
tion for career purposes. Second, the bill will serve as an incentive
for younger individuals to join their local volunteer fire department or
ambulance company. By providing an opportunity for younger individuals
to take a course at the local college, this bill will attract individ-
uals who may not otherwise consider joining their local volunteer organ-
izations. Third, this bill will also provide a meaningful higher educa-
tion opportunity which could lead to pursuit of a degree. Ultimately,
this bill will provide for a stronger volunteer fire service to protect
our residents and communities.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S. 265 of 2019/2020; Referred to Higher Education

S. 376 of 2017/2018 Passed Senate.
S.6677/A.8990 (2013-14); Referred to Higher Education

S. 3125 of 2015/2016; Passed Senate in 2016

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the 90th day after it shall have become a
law.

2021-S3496 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3496
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 29, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  ORTT  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law,  in  relation  to  extending  certain
   benefits  to  active volunteer firefighters and active volunteer ambu-
   lance workers

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Subparagraph 1 of paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section
 355 of the education law, as separately amended by chapters 552 and  616
 of the laws of 1985, is amended to read as follows:
   (1)  Notwithstanding  the  provisions of any other general, special or
 local law, rule or regulation, such regulations may permit persons sixty
 years of age or over, OR RESIDENTS WHO SERVE AS ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER  FIRE-
 FIGHTERS AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED FIFTEEN OF
 THE  GENERAL  MUNICIPAL LAW, OR AS ACTIVE VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE WORKERS AS
 DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION FOURTEEN OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED NINETEEN-K OF THE
 GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW to audit courses given  therein  without  tuition,
 examination, grading or credit therefor upon a space available basis, as
 determined by the president of each such institution, provided that such
 audit  attendance  does  not  deny course attendance at a state-operated
 institution by an individual who is otherwise qualified under the  regu-
 lations  promulgated pursuant to this section.  THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF
 THE STATE UNIVERSITY MAY PRESCRIBE REGULATIONS TO AUTHORIZE THE GRANTING
 OF COURSE CREDIT FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF AN AUDITED  COURSE  BY  AN
 ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER  FIREFIGHTER  OR AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE WORKER.
 PURSUANT TO SUCH REGULATIONS, EACH SUCH INSTITUTION MAY,  AS  DETERMINED
 BY  ITS  PRESIDENT,  AWARD  CREDIT  FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF SUCH AN
 AUDITED COURSE BY AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OR AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER
 AMBULANCE WORKER THAT IS CURRENTLY ENROLLED AS A FULL-TIME OR  PART-TIME
 STUDENT  IN  SUCH  INSTITUTION OR THAT LATER BECOMES ENROLLED AS A FULL-
 TIME OR PART-TIME STUDENT IN SUCH INSTITUTION.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD07479-01-1

 S. 3496                             2
 
   § 2. Subdivision 5 of section 6303 of the education law, as amended by
 chapter 552 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
   5.  Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of any other general, special or
 local law, rule or regulation, community  colleges  may  permit  persons
 sixty  years  of age or over, OR RESIDENTS WHO SERVE AS ACTIVE VOLUNTEER
 FIREFIGHTERS AS DEFINED  IN  SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF  SECTION  TWO  HUNDRED
 FIFTEEN  OF  THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW, OR AS ACTIVE VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE
 WORKERS AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION FOURTEEN OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED  NINE-
 TEEN-K OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW to audit courses given therein with-
 out tuition, examination, grading or credit therefor upon a space avail-
 able  basis,  subject  to  the provisions of section sixty-three hundred
 four of this [chapter] ARTICLE, as determined by the president  of  each
 such  institution,  provided  that  such  audit attendance does not deny
 course attendance at a community college by an individual who is  other-
 wise  qualified  under  the  regulations  and  the provisions of section
 sixty-three hundred four of this [chapter] ARTICLE.  THE BOARD OF  TRUS-
 TEES  OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY MAY PRESCRIBE REGULATIONS TO AUTHORIZE THE
 GRANTING OF COURSE CREDIT FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF AN AUDITED COURSE
 BY AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER  OR  AN  ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER  AMBULANCE
 WORKER.  PURSUANT  TO  SUCH  REGULATIONS,  EACH SUCH INSTITUTION MAY, AS
 DETERMINED BY ITS PRESIDENT, AWARD CREDIT FOR SUCCESSFUL  COMPLETION  OF
 SUCH  AN  AUDITED COURSE BY AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OR AN ACTIVE
 VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE WORKER THAT IS CURRENTLY ENROLLED AS A FULL-TIME  OR
 PART-TIME  STUDENT IN SUCH INSTITUTION OR THAT LATER BECOMES ENROLLED AS
 A FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME STUDENT IN SUCH INSTITUTION. The provisions  of
 this  paragraph  shall  not  affect  any state aid to community colleges
 granted pursuant to THIS article [one hundred twenty-six of  this  chap-
 ter].
   §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.

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