NY State Senate Bill 2021-S3686

Senate Bill S3686

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Permits persons 65 years of age to enroll in a limited number of state university and city university courses for credit without tuition

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules 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

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jun 03, 2022	committed to rules
May 16, 2022	advanced to third reading
May 11, 2022	2nd report cal.
May 10, 2022	1st report cal.1235
Jan 05, 2022	referred to higher education
May 18, 2021	reported and committed to finance
Jan 30, 2021	referred to higher education

Votes

- May 10, 2022 - Higher Education Committee Vote
  S3686
  
  10
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Higher Education Committee Vote: May 10, 2022
      
      aye (10)
      
      Boyle
      
      Cooney
      
      Gaughran
      
      Gounardes
      
      Jackson
      
      Liu
      
      Oberacker
      
      Parker
      
      Rivera
      
      Stavisky
      
      aye wr (1)
      
      Griffo
  May 18, 2021 - Higher Education Committee Vote
  S3686
  
  10
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Higher Education Committee Vote: May 18, 2021
      
      aye (10)
      
      Boyle
      
      Cooney
      
      Gaughran
      
      Gounardes
      
      Jackson
      
      Liu
      
      Oberacker
      
      Parker
      
      Rivera
      
      Stavisky
      
      aye wr (1)
      
      Griffo

2021-S3686 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A943
Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§355 & 6206, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: A3951
2011-2012: A4360
2013-2014: A2323
2015-2016: S3807, A1587
2017-2018: S1110, A1672
2019-2020: S692, A6380
2023-2024: S2049, A27
2025-2026: A58

2021-S3686 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Permits persons 65 years of age to enroll in a limited number of state university and city university courses for credit without tuition.

2021-S3686 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S3686

SPONSOR: FELDER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to authorizing persons
over age sixty-five to enroll in a limited number of SUNY or CUNY credit
hours without tuition

 
PURPOSE:

This bill will permit persons over the age of sixty-five to take courses
for credit, on a space-available basis, without charge, at State Univer-
sity of New York and City University of New York campuses.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Amends Section 355 of the Education Law to allow persons over sixty-five
years of age to receive up to a maximum of nine credit hours per semes-
ter for courses taken at the State University of New York at no charge,
on a space available basis.

Amends § 6206 of the Education Law to allow persons over sixty-five
years of age to receive up to a maximum of nine credit hours per semes-
ter for courses taken at the City University of New York at no charge,
on a space available basis.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In 1974, New York State adopted Chapter 1002 of the Laws of 1974 permit-
ting persons over the age of sixty to audit courses at the State Univer-
sity without tuition, examination or credit, on a space available basis.

On approving that legislation, the Governor noted that, "Education can
be a major factor in helping older people maintain their mental alert-
ness, (and) continue active participation in the affairs of their commu-
nities. In many instances, however, financial and formal educational
barriers have rendered such education opportunity inaccessible."

Although the 1974 law began an important step forward, senior citizens
have so far been denied the opportunity under this program to further
their education on a for-credit basis. This bill would extend to persons
age sixty-five and over the ability to attend courses at no charge at
the State University, on a space-available basis, while receiving credit
for their course work.

This is a logical continuation of our efforts to integrate our older
collegians fully into the mainstream of academic life.

Not only will older students benefit from fully participating in the
courses offered at both the State University of New York and the City
University of New York, they will bring a broad range of lifetime expe-
riences to the classroom, thereby enriching the education of students.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2015/16: S.3807 - Passed Senate in 2016
2017/18: S.1110 - Passed Senate both years
2019/20: S.692 - Remained in Committee
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

There is no direct fiscal impact, because all attendance would be on a
space-available basis.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
April next succeeding the date on which it shall have become law.

2021-S3686 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3686
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 30, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  FELDER -- 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  authorizing  persons
   over  age  sixty-five  to  enroll  in a limited number of SUNY or CUNY
   credit hours without tuition

   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 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.  FOR PURPOSES OF THIS
 SECTION, PERSONS SIXTY-FIVE YEARS OF AGE OR OVER WHO  ARE  RESIDENTS  OF
 THE  STATE  SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO TAKE NOT MORE THAN NINE CREDIT HOURS OF
 COURSES FOR CREDIT PER SEMESTER WITHOUT TUITION.
   § 2. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 7 of section 6206 of  the  education
 law,  as added by chapter 344 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as
 follows:
   (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other  general,  special  or
 local  law, rule or regulation, the board of trustees may permit persons
 sixty years of age or  over  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  the  city
 university of New York by an individual who is otherwise qualified under
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD01785-01-1

 S. 3686                             2
 
 this section.  FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, PERSONS SIXTY-FIVE YEARS OF
 AGE OR OVER WHO ARE RESIDENTS OF THE STATE SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO TAKE NOT
 MORE  THAN  NINE CREDIT HOURS OF COURSES FOR CREDIT PER SEMESTER WITHOUT
 TUITION.
   §  3. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.

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