S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4114
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 31, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. HYNDMAN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education  law,  in  relation  to  establishing  the
   Charles  L.  Reason  fellowship  for the purpose of increasing faculty
   diversity in higher education in New York

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Article 130 of title 7 of the education law is renumbered
 article 129-C and a new section 6457 is added to read as follows:
   § 6457. CHARLES L. REASON FELLOWSHIP.  1.  GENERAL  REQUIREMENTS.  THE
 COMMISSIONER  SHALL  AWARD GRANTS TO DEGREE-GRANTING INSTITUTIONS IN NEW
 YORK OR TO CONSORTIA OF SUCH INSTITUTIONS TO BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE  OF
 INCREASING  ACCESS  BY  MINORITY  OR  DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS TO ACADEMIC
 PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN REGISTERED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND THAT  PREPARE
 STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY GROUPS TO EARN TERMINAL ACADEMIC
 DEGREES  AND  BECOME  HIGHER  EDUCATION  FACULTY  MEMBERS.  STUDENTS WHO
 COMPLETE THE  UNDERGRADUATE  FELLOWSHIP  AND  ENROLL  IN  A  PROGRAM  AS
 DESCRIBED  IN  SUBDIVISION  THREE  OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR
 LOAN FORGIVENESS PAYMENTS TO FURTHER ASSIST  THEIR  CAREERS  AS  FACULTY
 MEMBERS.
   2.  CHARLES  L.  REASON  FELLOWSHIP.  (A) (I) UNDERGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP
 MONEYS  MAY  BE  USED  FOR  TUTORING,  COUNSELING,  FACULTY   MENTORSHIP
 EXPENSES,  SUPPLEMENTAL  FINANCIAL  ASSISTANCE,  PROGRAM  ADMINISTRATION
 INCLUDING STAFF, SUMMER RESEARCH OR SIMILAR ACADEMIC  OPPORTUNITIES  FOR
 PARTICIPATING FELLOWS, STUDENT TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR ACADEMIC CONFERENCES,
 AND  OTHER ACTIVITIES WHICH THE COMMISSIONER MAY DEEM APPROPRIATE. TO BE
 ELIGIBLE  FOR  CHARLES  L.    REASON  UNDERGRADUATE  FELLOWSHIP  PROGRAM
 SUPPORT,  A STUDENT MUST BE A RESIDENT OF NEW YORK, OR MEET THE REQUIRE-
 MENTS OF SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH, AND MUST BE FROM A MINORI-
 TY GROUP HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN ACADEMIC FACULTY IN NEW  YORK,
 AND  MUST  DEMONSTRATE  INTEREST IN AND A POTENTIAL TO ATTAIN A PH.D. OR
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08112-01-5
              

 A. 4114                             2
 
 OTHER TERMINAL ACADEMIC DEGREE AND TEACH  AT  THE  COLLEGIATE  LEVEL  IF
 PROVIDED  SPECIAL  SERVICES.  ELIGIBLE STUDENTS MUST BE IN GOOD ACADEMIC
 STANDING, ENROLLED FULL TIME IN AN APPROVED, UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL PROGRAM
 OF STUDY, AS DEFINED BY THE REGENTS.
   (II)  AN  APPLICANT WHO IS NOT A LEGAL RESIDENT OF NEW YORK STATE, BUT
 WHO IS A UNITED STATES CITIZEN, A PERMANENT LAWFUL RESIDENT, AN INDIVID-
 UAL WHO IS GRANTED U OR T NON-IMMIGRANT STATUS PURSUANT TO  THE  VICTIMS
 OF  TRAFFICKING  AND  VIOLENCE  PROTECTION ACT OF 2000, A PERSON GRANTED
 TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS PURSUANT TO THE FEDERAL  IMMIGRATION  ACT  OF
 1990,  AN  INDIVIDUAL  OF  A  CLASS  OF REFUGEES PAROLED BY THE ATTORNEY
 GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES UNDER THEIR PAROLE AUTHORITY PERTAINING  TO
 THE ADMISSION OF NONCITIZENS TO THE UNITED STATES, OR AN APPLICANT WITH-
 OUT  LAWFUL  IMMIGRATION  STATUS,  SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD AT THE
 UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL OF STUDY PROVIDED THAT THE STUDENT:
   (1) ATTENDED A REGISTERED NEW YORK STATE HIGH SCHOOL FOR TWO  OR  MORE
 YEARS,  GRADUATED  FROM  A  REGISTERED  NEW  YORK  STATE HIGH SCHOOL AND
 APPLIED FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER  EDUCATION  FOR  THE
 UNDERGRADUATE  STUDY  FOR  WHICH AN AWARD IS SOUGHT WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF
 RECEIVING A NEW YORK STATE HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA; OR
   (2) ATTENDED AN APPROVED NEW YORK  STATE  PROGRAM  FOR  A  STATE  HIGH
 SCHOOL  EQUIVALENCY  DIPLOMA,  RECEIVED  A STATE HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY
 DIPLOMA AND APPLIED FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE INSTITUTION OF  HIGHER  EDUCA-
 TION  FOR  THE  UNDERGRADUATE  STUDY FOR WHICH AN AWARD IS SOUGHT WITHIN
 FIVE YEARS OF RECEIVING A STATE HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA; OR
   (3) IS OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PAYMENT OF TUITION  AND  FEES  AT  A
 RATE  NO  GREATER  THAN  THAT IMPOSED FOR RESIDENT STUDENTS OF THE STATE
 UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF  NEW  YORK  OR  COMMUNITY
 COLLEGES  AS PRESCRIBED IN SUBPARAGRAPH EIGHT OF PARAGRAPH H OF SUBDIVI-
 SION TWO OF SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY-FIVE OF THIS  CHAPTER  OR  PARA-
 GRAPH  (A) OF SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF SECTION SIXTY-TWO HUNDRED SIX OF THIS
 TITLE. PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT  A  STUDENT  WITHOUT  LAWFUL  IMMIGRATION
 STATUS SHALL ALSO BE REQUIRED TO FILE AN AFFIDAVIT WITH SUCH INSTITUTION
 OF HIGHER EDUCATION STATING THAT THE STUDENT HAS FILED AN APPLICATION TO
 LEGALIZE  THEIR  IMMIGRATION STATUS, OR WILL FILE SUCH AN APPLICATION AS
 SOON AS THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO DO SO; AND
   (4) HAS COMPLETED AT LEAST ONE YEAR OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION  AT  A
 COLLEGE  OR  UNIVERSITY CHARTERED BY THE REGENTS WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW
 YORK AND REMAINS IN GOOD STANDING WITH THAT INSTITUTION.
   (B) APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING SHALL BE  SUBMITTED  BY  ELIGIBLE  INSTI-
 TUTIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED BY
 THE  COMMISSIONER. PRIORITY CONSIDERATION SHALL BE GIVEN TO INSTITUTIONS
 WHICH DEMONSTRATE AN ABILITY TO GRADUATE STUDENTS WHO ENTER  POST-BACCA-
 LAUREATE  PROGRAMS  AT  A  HIGH  LEVEL. GRANTS SHALL BE AWARDED BASED ON
 CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
   3. LOAN FORGIVENESS. (A) MONEYS SHALL BE MADE  AVAILABLE,  SUBJECT  TO
 APPROPRIATIONS,  FOR  PURPOSES OF STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS IN ACCORDANCE
 WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION TO STUDENTS WHO:
   (I) SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE UNDERGRADUATE CHARLES L. REASON FELLOW-
 SHIP AS DESCRIBED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION;
   (II) HAVE GRADUATED FROM A  BACCALAUREATE  PROGRAM  AT  A  COLLEGE  OR
 UNIVERSITY CHARTERED BY THE REGENTS;
   (III)  WITHIN  FOUR  YEARS  OF  ACHIEVING  THEIR BACCALAUREATE DEGREE,
 ENROLLS IN A PH.D. OR SIMILAR TERMINAL ACADEMIC  DEGREE  PROGRAM  REGIS-
 TERED  WITH  THE  DEPARTMENT AT A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY CHARTERED BY THE
 REGENTS THAT IS NOT A PROGRAM GRANTING THE CREDENTIAL OF  JURIS  DOCTOR,
 A. 4114                             3
 
 MEDICAL  DOCTOR,  OR  OTHER  DEGREE  LEADING TO A LICENSED PROFESSION AS
 DESCRIBED IN TITLE EIGHT OF THIS CHAPTER; AND
   (IV)  IS  A RESIDENT OF NEW YORK, OR MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBPARA-
 GRAPH (II) OF PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
   (B) FUNDING AWARDED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL NOT EXCEED  THE
 TOTAL  QUALIFYING  OUTSTANDING  DEBT  OF  A CHARLES L. REASON FELLOWSHIP
 PARTICIPATING STUDENT FROM STUDENT LOANS  TO  COVER  TUITION  AND  OTHER
 EDUCATIONAL  EXPENSES,  MADE  BY  OR  GUARANTEED BY THE FEDERAL OR STATE
 GOVERNMENT, OR MADE BY A LENDING  OR  EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTION  APPROVED
 UNDER  TITLE  IV  OF  THE  FEDERAL  HIGHER EDUCATION ACT. LOAN REPAYMENT
 AWARDS SHALL BE USED SOLELY TO REPAY SUCH DEBT.
   (C) APPLICATIONS FOR  LOAN  FORGIVENESS  SHALL  BE  MADE  BY  ELIGIBLE
 STUDENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSIONER
 AND  THE  PRESIDENT OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES CORPORATION. GRANTS
 SHALL BE AWARDED BASED ON CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE  COMMISSIONER  AND
 THE  PRESIDENT  OF  THE HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES COMMITTEE BASED ON THE
 AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS APPROPRIATED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
   (D) A STUDENT RECEIVING FUNDS PURSUANT TO THIS  SUBDIVISION  SHALL  BE
 ELIGIBLE FOR A LOAN REPAYMENT AWARD TO BE DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER
 OVER  A  FOUR YEAR PERIOD PROVIDED HOWEVER THAT NO STUDENT SHALL RECEIVE
 MORE THAN TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IN LOAN FORGIVENESS PAYMENTS PER YEAR  OR
 MORE THAN FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS IN LOAN FORGIVENESS PAYMENTS UNDER THIS
 SUBDIVISION IN THEIR LIFETIME.
   (E) IN THE EVENT THAT A STUDENT NO LONGER MEETS THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR
 LOAN FORGIVENESS AS DEFINED IN THIS SUBDIVISION, ANY SCHEDULED OR FORTH-
 COMING  PAYMENTS TO THAT STUDENT WILL BE SUSPENDED UNTIL THEY CERTIFY TO
 THE DEPARTMENT, IN A METHOD DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT, THAT THEY MEET
 SUCH QUALIFICATIONS.
   4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. INSTITUTIONS PARTICIPATING IN  THE  CHARLES
 L.  REASON  FELLOWSHIP  SHALL SUBMIT TO THE COMMISSIONER SUCH REPORTS OR
 OTHER INFORMATION AS THE COMMISSIONER SHALL  REQUIRE.  THE  COMMISSIONER
 SHALL  PREPARE  FOR THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE,
 THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE RESPECTIVE MINORITY LEADERS IN BOTH THE
 SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, AND THE BOARD OF REGENTS AN ANNUAL  REPORT  OF  THE
 ACTIVITIES  OF  INSTITUTIONS  WHICH RECEIVE STATE FUNDS PURSUANT TO THIS
 SECTION CONCERNING,  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO,  THE  EFFECTIVENESS  OF  THE
 PROGRAMS, THE NUMBERS OF STUDENTS SERVED, AND FUTURE PLANS.
   5.  RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND
 REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THIS SECTION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.