Senate Bill S4170A

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Enacts the "fair college admissions act"

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Higher Education Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2023-S4170 - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Higher Education
Law Section:
Education Law
Laws Affected:
Add §239-c, Ed L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:
S8498

2023-S4170 - Summary

Enacts the "fair college admissions act"; prohibits legacy admissions policies at colleges and universities in New York; declares such policies and practices to be discriminatory and inequitable.

2023-S4170 - Sponsor Memo

2023-S4170 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4170
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 3, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  GOUNARDES,  MYRIE,  SEPULVEDA  --  read twice and
   ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on
   Higher Education
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the education law, in relation to prohibiting legacy
   preference and early decision admission policies at  higher  education
   institutions in this state

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act may be known and shall  be  cited  as
 the "fair college admissions act".
   §  2.  Legislative  intent. a. The legislature hereby finds that there
 are significant income gains  associated  with  postsecondary  education
 degree  attainment,  with  New  York  state  residents with a bachelor's
 degree three times less likely to live in poverty than those with a high
 school diploma.
   b. The legislature further finds that students who attend and graduate
 from a highly selective higher education institution in the state of New
 York are much more likely to earn salaries in the  top  income  quintile
 than  those  who  graduate  from less selective institutions, furthering
 economic and social inequality.
   c. The legislature further finds that  within  most  highly  selective
 higher education institutions in New York state, degree completion rates
 for  students  from  low-income and working class family backgrounds are
 comparable to students from upper-income family backgrounds.
   d. The legislature further finds that many four-year higher  education
 institutions in New York state consider whether a prospective student is
 related to alumni as part of the admissions process.
   e. The legislature further finds that providing preferential treatment
 to  students  related  to  alumni  of  a higher education institution is
 discriminatory in nature and disproportionately hurts students who  come
 from  working  class  and  low-income families, have parents who did not
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03099-01-3
              

co-Sponsors

2023-S4170A - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Higher Education
Law Section:
Education Law
Laws Affected:
Add §239-c, Ed L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:
S8498

2023-S4170A - Summary

Enacts the "fair college admissions act"; prohibits legacy admissions policies at colleges and universities in New York; declares such policies and practices to be discriminatory and inequitable.

2023-S4170A - Sponsor Memo

2023-S4170A - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  4170--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 3, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  GOUNARDES,  CHU,  CLEARE,  COMRIE,  MYRIE, RAMOS,
   SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when  printed  to  be
   committed   to   the   Committee  on  Higher  Education  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the education law, in  relation  to  prohibiting  legacy
   admission policies at higher education institutions in this state
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act may be known and shall  be  cited  as
 the "fair college admissions act".
   §  2.  Legislative  intent. a. The legislature hereby finds that there
 are significant income gains  associated  with  postsecondary  education
 degree  attainment,  with  New  York  state  residents with a bachelor's
 degree three times less likely to live in poverty than those with a high
 school diploma.
   b. The legislature further finds that students who attend and graduate
 from a highly selective higher education institution in the state of New
 York are much more likely to earn salaries in the  top  income  quintile
 than  those  who  graduate  from less selective institutions, furthering
 economic and social inequality.
   c. The legislature further finds that  within  most  highly  selective
 higher education institutions in New York state, degree completion rates
 for  students  from  low-income and working class family backgrounds are
 comparable to students from upper-income family backgrounds.
   d. The legislature further finds that many four-year higher  education
 institutions in New York state consider whether a prospective student is
 related to alumni as part of the admissions process.
   e. The legislature further finds that providing preferential treatment
 to  students  related  to  alumni  of  a higher education institution is
 discriminatory in nature and disproportionately hurts students who  come
 from  working  class  and  low-income families, have parents who did not
 earn a bachelor's degree, are  undocumented,  are  immigrants,  and  are
 members of historically underrepresented minority groups formerly denied
 
              

co-Sponsors

2023-S4170B (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Higher Education
Law Section:
Education Law
Laws Affected:
Add §239-c, Ed L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:
S8498

2023-S4170B (ACTIVE) - Summary

Enacts the "fair college admissions act"; prohibits legacy admissions policies at colleges and universities in New York; declares such policies and practices to be discriminatory and inequitable.

2023-S4170B (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S4170B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  4170--B
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 3, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. GOUNARDES, CHU, CLEARE, COMRIE, FERNANDEZ, HOYLMAN-
   SIGAL, JACKSON, MAY, MYRIE, RAMOS, SALAZAR, SEPULVEDA, SKOUFIS -- read
   twice and ordered printed, and when printed to  be  committed  to  the
   Committee  on  Higher Education -- committee discharged, bill amended,
   ordered reprinted as amended and  recommitted  to  said  committee  --
   recommitted  to  the  Committee on Higher Education in accordance with
   Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill  amended,  ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the education law, in relation to prohibiting legacy
   admission policies at higher education institutions in this state
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 the "fair college admissions act".
   § 2. Legislative intent. a. The legislature hereby  finds  that  there
 are  significant  income  gains  associated with postsecondary education
 degree attainment, with New  York  state  residents  with  a  bachelor's
 degree three times less likely to live in poverty than those with a high
 school diploma.
   b. The legislature further finds that students who attend and graduate
 from a highly selective higher education institution in the state of New
 York  are  much  more likely to earn salaries in the top income quintile
 than those who graduate from  less  selective  institutions,  furthering
 economic and social inequality.
   c.  The  legislature  further  finds that within most highly selective
 higher education institutions in New York state, degree completion rates
 for students from low-income and working class  family  backgrounds  are
 comparable to students from upper-income family backgrounds.
   d.  The legislature further finds that many four-year higher education
 institutions in New York state consider whether a prospective student is
 related to alumni as part of the admissions process.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03099-10-4
              

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