S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7051
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 20, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. BICHOTTE HERMELYN, WILLIAMS, SIMON -- read once
   and referred to the Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation  to  redefining  science,
   technology, engineering, and math education (STEM)
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative findings and  intent.  The  legislature  hereby
 finds that the state requires a comprehensive approach to science, tech-
 nology,  engineering,  and  math  education  (STEM).  Under current law,
 little to no incentives or programmatic  funding  exists  to  push  STEM
 education  forward.  The legislature further finds it essential to bring
 back business and industry in STEM education programs  by  getting  them
 involved  for  career development. Furthermore, the legislature finds it
 questionable whether current curriculum focuses on the adequate areas to
 provide children with the standards needed to fulfill a math or  science
 job opportunity in the future.
   Therefore  be  it  resolved that the legislature intends to mirror the
 federal efforts underway to promote STEM and enable New York students to
 compete internationally in educational  fields  that  drive  the  global
 economy and to provide the appropriate funding for STEM programs.
   §  2.  Section  669-e of the education law, as amended by section 1 of
 part BB of chapter 56 of the laws of 2018, subdivision 1 as  amended  by
 chapter 329 of the laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows:
   § 669-e. New York state science, technology, engineering and mathemat-
 ics incentive program. 1. Undergraduate students who are matriculated in
 an  approved  undergraduate  program  leading  to  a  career in science,
 COMPUTER SCIENCE, technology, engineering, INCLUDING DESIGN  SKILLS  AND
 PRACTICE, or mathematics at a New York state public institution of high-
 er  education  for  the purpose of subdivision two of this section, or a
 New York state private degree granting institution of  higher  education
 for  the purpose of subdivision two-a of this section, shall be eligible
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10961-01-5
              

 A. 7051                             2
 
 for an award under this section, provided the applicant:  (a)  graduates
 from  a  high  school  located in New York state during or after the two
 thousand thirteen--fourteen school year; and (b)  graduates  within  the
 top  ten  percent of [his or her] THE APPLICANT'S high school class; and
 (c) enrolls in full-time study each term  beginning  in  the  fall  term
 after [his or her] THE APPLICANT'S high school graduation in an approved
 undergraduate  program  in  science, COMPUTER SCIENCE, technology, engi-
 neering, INCLUDING  DESIGN  SKILLS  AND  PRACTICE,  or  mathematics,  as
 defined  by  the  corporation, at a New York state institution of higher
 education; and (d) signs a contract with the corporation  agreeing  that
 [his  or  her] THE APPLICANT'S award will be converted to a student loan
 in the event the student fails to comply with the terms of this  program
 as  set forth in subdivision four of this section; and (e) complies with
 the applicable provisions of this article and all  requirements  promul-
 gated by the corporation for the administration of the program.
   2.  Awards shall be granted beginning with the two thousand fourteen--
 two thousand fifteen academic year and thereafter to applicants  at  New
 York  state public institutions of higher education that the corporation
 has determined are eligible to  receive  such  awards.  The  corporation
 shall  grant such awards in an amount equal to the amount of undergradu-
 ate tuition for residents of New York state charged by the state univer-
 sity of New York or actual tuition charged, whichever is less; provided,
 however, (i) a student who receives educational grants  and/or  scholar-
 ships  that  cover  the  student's  full cost of attendance shall not be
 eligible for an award  under  this  program;  (ii)  for  a  student  who
 receives educational grants and/or scholarships that cover less than the
 student's full cost of attendance, such grants and/or scholarships shall
 not  be  deemed duplicative of this program and may be held concurrently
 with an award under this program, provided that the combined benefits do
 not exceed the student's full cost of attendance;  and  (iii)  an  award
 under  this program shall be applied to tuition after the application of
 all other educational grants and scholarships  limited  to  tuition  and
 shall  be  reduced  in an amount equal to such educational grants and/or
 scholarships. Upon notification of an  award  under  this  program,  the
 institution  shall  defer  the  amount of tuition equal to the award. No
 award shall be final until the recipient's successful  completion  of  a
 term has been certified by the institution.
   2-a. Within amounts appropriated therefor and based on availability of
 funds,  beginning  with the two thousand eighteen--two thousand nineteen
 academic year and thereafter, awards shall be granted to  applicants  at
 New  York state private degree granting institutions of higher education
 that the corporation has determined are eligible to receive such awards.
 The corporation shall grant such awards in an amount equal to the amount
 of undergraduate tuition for residents of New York state charged by  the
 state  university  of  New  York or actual tuition charged, whichever is
 less; provided, however, (i) a student who receives  educational  grants
 and/or  scholarships  that  cover  the student's full cost of attendance
 shall not be eligible for an  award  under  this  program;  (ii)  for  a
 student  who  receives educational grants and/or scholarships that cover
 less than the student's full cost  of  attendance,  such  grants  and/or
 scholarships  shall not be deemed duplicative of this program and may be
 held concurrently with an award under this program,  provided  that  the
 combined  benefits  do not exceed the student's full cost of attendance;
 and (iii) an award under this program shall be applied to tuition  after
 the application of all other educational grants and scholarships limited
 to  tuition  and shall be reduced in an amount equal to such educational
 A. 7051                             3
 
 grants and/or scholarships. Upon notification of  an  award  under  this
 program,  the institution shall defer the amount of tuition equal to the
 award.  No  award  shall  be  final  until  the  recipient's  successful
 completion of a term has been certified by the institution.
   3. An eligible recipient shall not receive an award for more than four
 academic  years  of full-time undergraduate study or five academic years
 if the program of study normally  requires  five  years,  excluding  any
 allowable interruption of study.
   4.  The corporation shall convert to a student loan the full amount of
 the award given pursuant to this section, plus interest, according to  a
 schedule  to  be determined by the corporation if: (a) a recipient fails
 to complete an  approved  undergraduate  program  in  science,  COMPUTER
 SCIENCE,  technology, engineering, INCLUDING DESIGN SKILLS AND PRACTICE,
 or mathematics or changes majors to a  program  of  undergraduate  study
 other  than  in  science,  COMPUTER  SCIENCE,  technology,  engineering,
 INCLUDING DESIGN SKILLS  AND  PRACTICE,  or  mathematics;  or  (b)  upon
 completion  of  such  undergraduate  degree program a recipient fails to
 either (i) complete five years of continuous full time employment in the
 science, COMPUTER SCIENCE,  technology,  engineering,  INCLUDING  DESIGN
 SKILLS AND PRACTICE, or mathematics field with a public or private enti-
 ty located within New York state, or (ii) maintain residency in New York
 state for such period of employment; or (c) a recipient fails to respond
 to requests by the corporation for the status of [his or her] THE RECIP-
 IENT'S  academic  or  professional progress. The terms and conditions of
 this subdivision shall be deferred for individuals who graduate  with  a
 degree  in  an  approved  undergraduate  program  in  science,  COMPUTER
 SCIENCE, technology, engineering, INCLUDING DESIGN SKILLS AND  PRACTICE,
 or mathematics and enroll on at least a half-time basis in a graduate or
 higher  degree  program  or  other professional licensure degree program
 until they are conferred a degree, and shall also be  deferred  for  any
 interruption  in undergraduate study or employment as established by the
 rules and regulations of the corporation. The terms  and  conditions  of
 this  subdivision  may also be deferred for a grace period, to be estab-
 lished by the corporation,  following  the  completion  of  an  approved
 undergraduate  program  in  science, COMPUTER SCIENCE, technology, engi-
 neering, INCLUDING DESIGN SKILLS AND PRACTICE, or mathematics a graduate
 or higher degree program or other professional licensure degree program.
 Any obligation to comply  with  such  provisions  as  outlined  in  this
 section  shall  be  cancelled  upon the death of the recipient. Notwith-
 standing any provisions of this subdivision to the contrary, the  corpo-
 ration  is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to provide for
 the waiver or suspension of any financial obligation which would involve
 extreme hardship.
   5. The corporation is authorized to promulgate rules and  regulations,
 and  may promulgate emergency regulations, necessary for the implementa-
 tion of the provisions of this section, including, but not  limited  to,
 the  rate  of interest charged for repayment of the student loan and the
 criteria for distributing the awards, which may  include  a  lottery  or
 other form of random selection for awards distributed pursuant to subdi-
 vision two-a of this section.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.