S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5390
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 13, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. HAWLEY -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Higher Education
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  education law, in relation to extending certain
   benefits to active volunteer firefighters and active  volunteer  ambu-
   lance workers
 
   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, OR RESIDENTS WHO SERVE AS ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIRE-
 FIGHTERS AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED FIFTEEN OF
 THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW, OR AS ACTIVE VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE  WORKERS  AS
 DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION FOURTEEN OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED NINETEEN-K OF THE
 GENERAL  MUNICIPAL  LAW  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.  THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES  OF
 THE STATE UNIVERSITY MAY PRESCRIBE REGULATIONS TO AUTHORIZE THE GRANTING
 OF  COURSE  CREDIT  FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF AN AUDITED COURSE BY AN
 ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OR AN ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER  AMBULANCE  WORKER.
 PURSUANT  TO  SUCH REGULATIONS, EACH SUCH INSTITUTION MAY, AS DETERMINED
 BY ITS PRESIDENT, AWARD CREDIT FOR  SUCCESSFUL  COMPLETION  OF  SUCH  AN
 AUDITED COURSE BY AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OR AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER
 AMBULANCE  WORKER THAT IS CURRENTLY ENROLLED AS A FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME
 STUDENT IN SUCH INSTITUTION OR THAT LATER BECOMES ENROLLED  AS  A  FULL-
 TIME OR PART-TIME STUDENT IN SUCH INSTITUTION.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05403-01-5
              

 A. 5390                             2
 
   § 2. Subdivision 5 of section 6303 of the education law, as amended by
 chapter 552 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:
   5.  Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of any other general, special or
 local law, rule or regulation, community  colleges  may  permit  persons
 sixty  years  of age or over, OR RESIDENTS WHO SERVE AS ACTIVE VOLUNTEER
 FIREFIGHTERS AS DEFINED  IN  SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF  SECTION  TWO  HUNDRED
 FIFTEEN  OF  THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW, OR AS ACTIVE VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE
 WORKERS AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION FOURTEEN OF SECTION TWO HUNDRED  NINE-
 TEEN-K OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW to audit courses given therein with-
 out tuition, examination, grading or credit therefor upon a space avail-
 able  basis,  subject  to  the provisions of section sixty-three hundred
 four of this [chapter] ARTICLE, as determined by the president  of  each
 such  institution,  provided  that  such  audit attendance does not deny
 course attendance at a community college by an individual who is  other-
 wise  qualified  under  the  regulations  and  the provisions of section
 sixty-three hundred four of this [chapter] ARTICLE.  THE BOARD OF  TRUS-
 TEES  OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY MAY PRESCRIBE REGULATIONS TO AUTHORIZE THE
 GRANTING OF COURSE CREDIT FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF AN AUDITED COURSE
 BY AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER  OR  AN  ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER  AMBULANCE
 WORKER.  PURSUANT  TO  SUCH  REGULATIONS,  EACH SUCH INSTITUTION MAY, AS
 DETERMINED BY ITS PRESIDENT, AWARD CREDIT FOR SUCCESSFUL  COMPLETION  OF
 SUCH  AN  AUDITED COURSE BY AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OR AN ACTIVE
 VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE WORKER THAT IS CURRENTLY ENROLLED AS A FULL-TIME  OR
 PART-TIME  STUDENT IN SUCH INSTITUTION OR THAT LATER BECOMES ENROLLED AS
 A FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME STUDENT IN SUCH INSTITUTION. The provisions  of
 this  paragraph  shall  not  affect  any state aid to community colleges
 granted pursuant to THIS article [one hundred twenty-six of  this  chap-
 ter].
   §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.