S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2052
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 14, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. MAHER, E. BROWN, DeSTEFANO, LEMONDES, BRABENEC,
   McDONOUGH, HAWLEY, BENDETT -- read once and referred to the  Committee
   on Higher Education
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  education  law,  in  relation to providing loan
   forgiveness for agriculture educators

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 679-k
 to read as follows:
   § 679-K. NEW YORK STATE AGRICULTURE EDUCATORS LOAN FORGIVENESS  INCEN-
 TIVE  PROGRAM.  1.  DEFINITION. THE TERM "AGRICULTURE EDUCATOR" MEANS AN
 INSTRUCTOR WHO PROVIDES DIDACTIC INSTRUCTION TO STUDENTS ABOUT  AGRICUL-
 TURE,  FOOD  AND NATURAL RESOURCES DELIVERED THROUGH LESSONS IN SCIENCE,
 COMMUNICATIONS, LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY.
   2. PURPOSE. THE PRESIDENT SHALL GRANT STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS  AWARDS
 FOR THE PURPOSE OF ALLEVIATING THE BURDEN OF STUDENT LOAN DEBT FOR AGRI-
 CULTURE  EDUCATORS TEACHING IN THE FIELD OF AGRICULTURE EDUCATION IN NEW
 YORK STATE. SUCH AWARDS SHALL BE MADE ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS AS  PROMUL-
 GATED  BY  THE CORPORATION FOR SUCH PURPOSES, TO APPLICANTS WHO MEET THE
 ELIGIBILITY  CRITERIA.  SUCH  RULES  AND   REGULATIONS   SHALL   INCLUDE
 PROVISIONS  FOR  THE  CONSIDERATION  OF  APPLICANTS WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY
 DISADVANTAGED.
   3. ELIGIBILITY. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD PURSUANT TO THIS  SECTION,
 APPLICANTS SHALL:
   (A)  HAVE  GRADUATED  AND  OBTAINED A DEGREE FROM AN APPROVED NEW YORK
 STATE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY;
   (B) HAVE AN OUTSTANDING STUDENT LOAN DEBT FROM OBTAINING SUCH DEGREE;
   (C) BE EMPLOYED AS A FULL-TIME AGRICULTURE EDUCATOR IN NEW YORK  STATE
 FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS;
   (D) RESIDE IN NEW YORK STATE FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS POST GRADUATION;
   (E) APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM WITHIN TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE GRADUATION; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04847-01-5
              

 A. 2052                             2
 
   (F)  COMPLY  WITH SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SECTION SIX HUNDRED SIXTY-ONE OF
 THIS PART.
   4.  AWARDS.  THE  CORPORATION  SHALL  GRANT SUCH AWARDS WITHIN AMOUNTS
 APPROPRIATED FOR SUCH PURPOSES AND BASED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.