Assembly Bill A4942

Signed By Governor
2023-2024 Legislative Session

Requires the SUNY and CUNY boards of trustees to establish a policy for the awarding of posthumous degrees

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - Signed by Governor

  • 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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Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2023-A4942 - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S5355
Law Section:
Education Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§355 & 6206, Ed L

2023-A4942 - Summary

Requires the SUNY and CUNY boards of trustees and boards of trustees of community colleges to establish a policy for the awarding of posthumous degrees; requires such policy to waive any remaining credits for enrolled matriculated students who die and would otherwise have been eligible for graduation had they been able to complete their academic career.

2023-A4942 - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4942
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 27, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. FORREST -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing  policies
   for the awarding of posthumous degrees
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. This act shall be known  and  may  be  cited  as  "Melquain
 Jatelle Anderson's (Mel's) Law".
   §  2.  Subdivision 2 of section 355 of the education law is amended by
 adding a new paragraph f-2 to read as follows:
   F-2. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY LAW, RULE OR REGULATION TO THE CONTRARY,  THE
 STATE  UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL ESTABLISH A POLICY
 AUTHORIZING STATE-OPERATED  INSTITUTIONS  WITHIN  THE  STATE  UNIVERSITY
 SYSTEM  TO GRANT POSTHUMOUS DEGREES TO STUDENTS WHOSE DEATH OCCURS PRIOR
 TO GRADUATION. SUCH POLICY  SHALL  PROVIDE  THAT  ANY  REMAINING  CREDIT
 REQUIREMENTS  SHALL  BE  WAIVED  FOR  ANY  STUDENT WHO IS KILLED AND WHO
 OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE FOR GRADUATION HAD THEY BEEN ABLE  TO
 COMPLETE THEIR ACADEMIC CAREER.
   §  3.  Section  6206  of  the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 22 to read as follows:
   22. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY LAW, RULE OR REGULATION TO THE  CONTRARY,  THE
 BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES  SHALL  ESTABLISH  A POLICY AUTHORIZING INSTITUTIONS
 WITHIN THE CITY UNIVERSITY  OF  NEW  YORK  SYSTEM  TO  GRANT  POSTHUMOUS
 DEGREES TO STUDENTS WHOSE DEATH OCCURS PRIOR TO GRADUATION.  SUCH POLICY
 SHALL PROVIDE THAT ANY REMAINING CREDIT REQUIREMENTS SHALL BE WAIVED FOR
 ANY STUDENT WHO IS KILLED AND WHO OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE FOR
 GRADUATION HAD THEY BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETE THEIR ACADEMIC CAREER.
   §  4.  Such  posthumous  degrees shall not be counted in the conferred
 degrees during the accreditation process or negatively impact a school's
 standing during the accreditation process.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04553-01-3

co-Sponsors

2023-A4942A - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S5355
Law Section:
Education Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§355 & 6206, Ed L

2023-A4942A - Summary

Requires the SUNY and CUNY boards of trustees and boards of trustees of community colleges to establish a policy for the awarding of posthumous degrees; requires such policy to waive any remaining credits for enrolled matriculated students who die and would otherwise have been eligible for graduation had they been able to complete their academic career.

2023-A4942A - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  4942--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 27, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. FORREST, TAYLOR, DARLING, HYNDMAN, LEVENBERG,
   SILLITTI,  MAHER,  SIMON,  RAGA,  OTIS,  McDONALD,  CHANDLER-WATERMAN,
   CLARK,  PRETLOW,  DE LOS SANTOS, TAPIA, ALVAREZ, GIBBS, REYES, SEPTIMO
   -- read once and referred 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 establishing  policies
   for the awarding of posthumous degrees
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. This act shall be known  and  may  be  cited  as  "Melquain
 Jatelle Anderson's (Mel's) Law".
   §  2.  Subdivision 2 of section 355 of the education law is amended by
 adding a new paragraph f-2 to read as follows:
   F-2. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY LAW, RULE OR REGULATION TO THE CONTRARY,  THE
 STATE  UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL ESTABLISH A POLICY
 AUTHORIZING STATE-OPERATED  INSTITUTIONS  WITHIN  THE  STATE  UNIVERSITY
 SYSTEM  TO  GRANT  POSTHUMOUS  DEGREES TO ENROLLED MATRICULATED STUDENTS
 WHOSE DEATH OCCURS PRIOR TO GRADUATION. SUCH POLICY SHALL PROVIDE  THAT,
 UPON TERMS SET IN THE POLICY, ANY REMAINING CREDIT REQUIREMENTS SHALL BE
 WAIVED FOR ANY STUDENT WHO DIES AND WHO OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN ELIGI-
 BLE FOR GRADUATION HAD THEY BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETE THEIR ACADEMIC CAREER.
   §  3.  Section  6206  of  the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 22 to read as follows:
   22. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY LAW, RULE OR REGULATION TO THE  CONTRARY,  THE
 BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES  SHALL  ESTABLISH  A POLICY AUTHORIZING INSTITUTIONS
 WITHIN THE CITY UNIVERSITY  OF  NEW  YORK  SYSTEM  TO  GRANT  POSTHUMOUS
 DEGREES  TO  ENROLLED  MATRICULATED STUDENTS WHOSE DEATH OCCURS PRIOR TO
 GRADUATION.  SUCH POLICY SHALL PROVIDE THAT, UPON TERMS SET IN THE POLI-
 CY, ANY REMAINING CREDIT REQUIREMENTS SHALL BE WAIVED  FOR  ANY  STUDENT
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04553-04-3
 A. 4942--A                          2

co-Sponsors

2023-A4942B (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S5355
Law Section:
Education Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §§355 & 6206, Ed L

2023-A4942B (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the SUNY and CUNY boards of trustees and boards of trustees of community colleges to establish a policy for the awarding of posthumous degrees; requires such policy to waive any remaining credits for enrolled matriculated students who die and would otherwise have been eligible for graduation had they been able to complete their academic career.

2023-A4942B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  4942--B
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 27, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. FORREST, TAYLOR, DARLING, HYNDMAN, LEVENBERG,
   SILLITTI,  MAHER,  SIMON,  RAGA,  OTIS,  McDONALD,  CHANDLER-WATERMAN,
   CLARK,  PRETLOW, DE LOS SANTOS, TAPIA, ALVAREZ, GIBBS, REYES, SEPTIMO,
   EPSTEIN, WEPRIN, ZACCARO, STIRPE, MAMDANI, SHRESTHA -- read  once  and
   referred to the Committee on Higher Education -- committee discharged,
   bill  amended,  ordered  reprinted  as amended and recommitted to said
   committee -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted  as
   amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN  ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing policies
   for the awarding of posthumous degrees
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  This  act  shall  be  known and may be cited as "Melquain
 Jatelle Anderson's (Mel's) Law".
   § 2. Subdivision 2 of section 355 of the education law is  amended  by
 adding a new paragraph f-2 to read as follows:
   F-2.  NOTWITHSTANDING ANY LAW, RULE OR REGULATION TO THE CONTRARY, THE
 STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL ESTABLISH A  POLICY
 AUTHORIZING  STATE-OPERATED  INSTITUTIONS  AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES WITHIN
 THE STATE UNIVERSITY TO GRANT POSTHUMOUS DEGREES TO ENROLLED MATRICULAT-
 ED STUDENTS WHOSE DEATH OCCURS PRIOR TO GRADUATION.  SUCH  POLICY  SHALL
 PROVIDE  THAT,  UPON  TERMS  SET  IN  THE  POLICY,  ANY REMAINING CREDIT
 REQUIREMENTS SHALL BE WAIVED FOR ANY STUDENT WHO DIES AND WHO  OTHERWISE
 WOULD  HAVE  BEEN ELIGIBLE FOR GRADUATION HAD THEY BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETE
 THEIR ACADEMIC CAREER.
   § 3. Section 6206 of the education law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 22 to read as follows:
   22.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY LAW, RULE OR REGULATION TO THE CONTRARY, THE
 BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL ESTABLISH A POLICY AUTHORIZING  SENIOR  COLLEGES
 AND  COMMUNITY  COLLEGES WITHIN THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK TO GRANT
 POSTHUMOUS DEGREES TO ENROLLED MATRICULATED STUDENTS WHOSE DEATH  OCCURS
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04553-06-3

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