S 3139 NY

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Bill No.: Summary Actions Committee&nbspVotes Floor&nbspVotes Memo Text LFIN Chamber&nbspVideo/Transcript S03139 Summary: BILL NO S03139A &nbsp SAME AS No Same As &nbsp SPONSOR COONEY &nbsp COSPNSR FAHY, FERNANDEZ, HELMING, MATTERA, OBERACKER, RHOADS, ROLISON, TEDISCO, WEBB, WEBER &nbsp MLTSPNSR &nbsp Amd §§355, 6206 & 6304, Ed L &nbsp Establishes a statewide program to provide free SUNY, CUNY, and community college tuition to active volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical services providers, and volunteer auxiliary police officers.

Go to top S03139 Text:

STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________

3139--A

2025-2026 Regular Sessions

IN SENATE

January 23, 2025 ___________

Introduced by Sens. COONEY, FAHY, FERNANDEZ, HELMING, MATTERA, OBERACK- ER, RHOADS, ROLISON, TEDISCO, WEBB, WEBER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education -- 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 commit- tee

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to providing free SUNY, CUNY and community college tuition to active volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical services providers, and volunteer auxilia- ry police officers

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows:

1 Section 1. Paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section 355 of the educa- 2 tion law is amended by adding a new subparagraph 1-a to read as follows: 3 (1-a) The trustees shall implement a program to permit any student who 4 has been admitted to a state-operated institution of the state universi- 5 ty to attend one class per semester without the payment of tuition and 6 fees if such student serves as an active volunteer firefighter, as 7 defined in subdivision one of section two hundred fifteen of the general 8 municipal law, volunteer emergency medical services provider, or volun- 9 teer auxiliary police officer, provided that the provisions of this 10 subparagraph shall only apply to costs of courses taken toward the 11 completion of one undergraduate degree program. 12 (i) The trustees shall provide an application process and administer 13 the program according to the following criteria: 14 (A) Any student eligible for resident tuition rates is eligible for 15 this program, provided that at the time of application, such student 16 submits proof of membership in good standing of a volunteer fire company 17 or department, volunteer emergency medical services provider or a volun-

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD03276-02-6

S. 3139--A 2

1 teer auxiliary police officer of a police department within the state of 2 New York. 3 (B) The student shall be required to maintain status as a member in 4 good standing of the volunteer fire company or department, volunteer 5 emergency medical service provider or police department in which such 6 student serves as an auxiliary police officer through the completion of 7 such student's academic program. 8 (C) The student shall be required to maintain a cumulative grade point 9 average (G.P.A.) of at least 2.5 in order to remain eligible for the 10 program. 11 (ii) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this 12 subparagraph shall be required to apply for tuition assistance program 13 funding. Funds awarded on the tuition assistance program shall be 14 applied towards the cost of tuition prior to an award under this clause. 15 (iii) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this 16 subparagraph and is otherwise eligible for the excelsior scholarship 17 program shall be required to apply for same. Funds awarded through the 18 excelsior scholarship program shall be applied towards the cost of 19 tuition prior to an award under this clause. 20 (iv) Students shall be responsible for all other costs including hous- 21 ing, fees and other non-tuition related charges. 22 § 2. Subdivision 7 of section 6206 of the education law is amended by 23 adding a new paragraph (h) to read as follows: 24 (h) The trustees shall implement a program to permit any student who 25 has been admitted to an institution operated by the city university to 26 attend one class per semester without the payment of tuition and fees if 27 such student serves as an active volunteer firefighter, as defined in 28 subdivision one of section two hundred fifteen of the general munici- 29 pal law, volunteer emergency medical services provider, or volunteer 30 auxiliary police officer, provided that the provisions of this paragraph 31 shall only apply to costs of courses taken toward the completion of one 32 undergraduate degree program. 33 (i) The trustees shall provide an application process and administer 34 the program according to the following criteria: 35 (A) Any student eligible for resident tuition rates is eligible for 36 this program, provided that at the time of application, such student 37 submits proof of membership in good standing of a volunteer fire company 38 or department, volunteer medical services provider or a volunteer auxil- 39 iary police officer of a police department within the state of New York. 40 (B) The student shall be required to maintain status as a member in 41 good standing of the volunteer fire company or department, volunteer 42 emergency medical service provider or police department in which such 43 student serves as an auxiliary police officer through the completion of 44 such student's academic program. 45 (C) The student shall be required to maintain a cumulative grade point 46 average (G.P.A.) of at least 2.5 in order to remain eligible for the 47 program. 48 (ii) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this 49 paragraph shall be required to apply for tuition assistance program 50 funding. Funds awarded on the tuition assistance program shall be 51 applied towards the cost of tuition prior to an award under this subpar- 52 agraph. 53 (iii) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this 54 subparagraph and is otherwise eligible for the excelsior scholarship 55 program shall be required to apply for same. Funds awarded through the

S. 3139--A 3

1 excelsior scholarship program shall be applied towards the cost of 2 tuition prior to an award under this subparagraph. 3 (iv) Students shall be responsible for all other costs including hous- 4 ing, fees and other non-tuition related charges. 5 § 3. Subdivision 1 of section 6304 of the education law is amended by 6 adding a new paragraph e to read as follows: 7 e. The trustees, sponsors or other governing body of a community 8 college shall implement a program to permit any student who has been 9 admitted to such community college to attend one class per semester 10 without the payment of tuition and fees if such student serves as an 11 active volunteer firefighter, as defined in subdivision one of section 12 two hundred fifteen of the general municipal law, volunteer emergency 13 medical services provider, or volunteer auxiliary police officer, 14 provided that the provisions of this subparagraph shall only apply to 15 costs of courses taken toward the completion of one undergraduate 16 degree program. 17 (i) The trustees shall provide an application process and administer 18 the program according to the following criteria: 19 (A) Any student eligible for resident tuition rates is eligible for 20 this program, provided that at the time of application, such student 21 submits proof of membership in good standing of a volunteer fire company 22 or department, volunteer medical services provider or a volunteer auxil- 23 iary police officer of a police department within the state of New York. 24 (B) The student shall be required to maintain status as a member in 25 good standing of the volunteer fire company or department, volunteer 26 emergency medical service provider or police department in which such 27 student serves as an auxiliary police officer through the completion of 28 such student's academic program. 29 (C) The student shall be required to maintain a cumulative grade point 30 average (G.P.A.) of at least 2.5 in order to remain eligible for the 31 program. 32 (ii) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this 33 paragraph shall be required to apply for tuition assistance program 34 funding. Funds awarded on the tuition assistance program shall be 35 applied towards the cost of tuition prior to an award under this subpar- 36 agraph. 37 (iii) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this 38 subparagraph and is otherwise eligible for the excelsior scholarship 39 program shall be required to apply for same. Funds awarded through the 40 excelsior scholarship program shall be applied towards the cost of 41 tuition prior to an award under this subparagraph. 42 (iv) Students shall be responsible for all other costs including hous- 43 ing, fees and other non-tuition related charges. 44 § 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2027.

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