BILL NUMBER: S9470

SPONSOR: ADDABBO
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
academic credit for veterans

 
PURPOSE:

To amend education law to allow veterans, who have completed military
coursework and training, to receive academic credit for that coursework
at state operated institutions.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 adds a new section 6355 entitled the "Veterans Education
Through SONY Credits Act."

Section 2 defines the term "veteran" to mean a person, male or female,
who has served in the active military or naval service of the United
States during a war in which the United States engaged and who has been
released from such service otherwise than by dishonorable discharge, or
who has been furloughed to the reserve. Section 2 further requires the
              

SONY Board of Trustees to develop a policy requiring each state univer-
sity of New York and city university of New York including colleges and
community colleges, to award academic credit to a student, who is also a
veteran, enrolled in the university, for courses that were part of the
student's military training or service and that meet the standards of
the American Council on Education or equivalent standards for awarding
the academic credit

Section 3 establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

According to September 2012 statistics from the U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics,
just under one million veterans reside in New York State.Across the
nation, over two million U.S. troops have deployed to Operation Iraqi
Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. It is the duty of the nation and
the state to understand and address our responsibilities to our return-
ing service members.

Data derived from a 2011 report to the New York State Health Foundation
by the RAND Corporation reported that 36 percent of sample veterans
(n.913 in New York State were enrolled in higher education, and 77% of
veterans expressed that additional training or college would help to
advance their career. Accordingly, colleges and universities have formed
veterans affairs-specifics offices, often hiring veterans as staff, to
accommodate the rising number of veteran students.

Veteran students have different backgrounds, experiences, and skills
than traditional students, and as such have different needs. Often times
veterans, while attending school, have other obligations including work
and supporting a family. For many, the goal is to complete their degree
as quickly as possible in order to expedite the transition from soldier
to civilian.

This bill seeks to ensure that veterans receive higher education credits
for relevant military coursework and training. The American Council on
Education, in collaboration with the Department of Defense, evaluates
military transcripts from each branch of service and makes recommenda-
tions for appropriate academic credit. Veterans, throughout their mili-
tary careers, have received valuable and translatable education that
should be acknowledged at institutions of higher learning. By giving
credit where credit is due, New York State and its public university
system can accelerate veterans' transition into, and increase marketa-
bility in, a competitive labor force. In addition, the state will
continue its longstanding tradition of honoring our veterans and promot-
ing the State of New York as a welcoming place to live, work and learn.

War, for the purposes of this legislation, includes but is not limited
to, the Persian Gulf conflicts that took place on or after August 2,
1990 until 2011, and the war in Afghanistan after September 1 1, 2001 to
present and any future wars in which the United States engages in.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

01/08/14 REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS
2015-16: S.752 REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY
AFFAIRS
2017-18: S.1837 REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
2019-20: S.2997 Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military
Affairs
2021-22: S. 2280 Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military
Affairs
2023-24: S.1364 Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military
Affairs

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect immediately.