S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    379
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  BROUK, CLEARE, PALUMBO, RHOADS, SKOUFIS, TEDISCO,
   WEBER -- read twice and  ordered  printed,  and  when  printed  to  be
   committed to the Committee on Finance
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the For
   Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology ("FIRST")  grant
   program
 
   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 3641-c
 to read as follows:
   § 3641-C. FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF  SCIENCE  AND  TECHNOLOGY
 ROBOTICS  LEAGUE  PARTICIPATION  ("FIRST") GRANT PROGRAM. 1. THE COMMIS-
 SIONER SHALL ESTABLISH THE FIRST GRANT PROGRAM AND  THE  FIRST  ROBOTICS
 COMPETITION PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION AND REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER
 ADOPTED  FOR  SUCH  PURPOSE.  WITHIN  THE  AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED FOR THIS
 PURPOSE, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL AWARD GRANTS ON A COMPETITIVE  BASIS  TO
 PUBLIC  AND PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENCOURAGING STUDY IN
 THE FIELDS OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH.
   2. ELIGIBILITY. A. APPLICANTS MUST BE A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE HIGH  SCHOOL
 IN THE STATE THAT HAS A SCHOOL SPONSORED ROBOTICS CLUB OR A TEAM PARTIC-
 IPATING, OR INTENDING TO PARTICIPATE, IN A FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION.
   B. APPLICANTS MUST ESTABLISH A PARTNERSHIP FOR THE PURPOSES OF DESIGN-
 ING,  BUILDING  AND/OR  PROGRAMMING  THE  TEAM'S ROBOT WITH AT LEAST ONE
 OTHER SPONSOR, WHICH SHALL BE A BUSINESS, INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING
 OR TECHNOLOGICAL SCHOOL.
   3. APPLICATIONS. APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE COMMISSIONER BY
 JUNE FIRST OF EACH YEAR FOR GRANTS TO BE MADE FOR THE FOLLOWING ACADEMIC
 YEAR. ALL GRANTS SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE  APPLICANT  OBTAINING  MATCHING
 FUNDS FROM OTHER SOURCES OF AT LEAST FIFTY PERCENT OF THE GRANT.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01192-01-5
              

 S. 379                              2
 
   4.  AWARDS.  A.  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL GRANT AWARDS IN THE AMOUNT OF
 FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO SCHOOLS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE, PURSUANT TO SUBDIVI-
 SION TWO OF THIS SECTION. AWARDS SHALL BE WITHIN THE  AMOUNTS  APPROPRI-
 ATED FOR SUCH PURPOSE AND BASED ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.
   B.  PREFERENCE  SHALL  BE  GIVEN  TO TEAMS AT TITLE I SCHOOLS, THEN TO
 TEAMS AT SCHOOLS THAT  HAVE  NOT  PREVIOUSLY  PARTICIPATED  IN  ROBOTICS
 COMPETITIONS  OR  RECEIVED  GRANTS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, ON A FIRST-COME
 FIRST-SERVED BASIS, AND IF THERE ARE FUNDS REMAINING THEREAFTER TO OTHER
 PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS.
   C. FUNDS AWARDED UNDER THIS GRANT SHALL BE  USED  FOR:    REGISTRATION
 COSTS;  MATERIALS;  TRAVEL COSTS; AND OTHER EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE
 PREPARATION FOR, AND ATTENDANCE AT, FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITIONS.
   D. ADDITIONAL GRANTS SHALL ALSO BE MADE PURSUANT TO SUCH  OTHER  RULES
 AND REGULATIONS AS MAY BE PROMULGATED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
   §  2.    This  act  shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day
 after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately,  the  addition,
 amendment,  and/or  repeal  of  any rule or regulation necessary for the
 implementation of this act on its effective date are  authorized  to  be
 made and completed on or before such date.