Authorizes the establishment of a recruitment incentive and retention program

3 Co-sponsors

• Daniel Burling
• Joseph Saladino
• Gary Finch

3 Multi-sponsors

• William A. Barclay
• Robert Barra
• Dierdre Scozzafava

BILL NUMBER:A10484

Title of bill

An act to amend the military law and the education law, in relation to providing a recruitment incentive and retention program for certain active members of the New York army national guard, New York air national guard, and New York naval militia

Purpose or general idea of bill

This bill would provide a recruitment incentive and retention program for certain active members of the New York army national guard, New York air national guard, and New York naval militia and extend current tuition benefits to include graduate education.

Summary of specific provisions

This bill would add a new section 400 to the military law, and amend paragraphs b, e, and f of subdivision 2, and subdivisions 5 and 7 of Section 669-b of the Education Law, to provide a recruitment incentive and retention program for certain active members of the New York army national guard, New York air national guard, and New York naval militia and extend current tuition benefits to include graduate education.

Justification

Presently, pursuant to Chapter 268 of the Laws of 1996, active members of the New York National Guard can receive college tuition benefits under terms and conditions to be decided by the State Division of Mili- tary and Naval Affairs, up to and including, the achievement of a Bacca- laureate degree.

This chapter was enacted to provide an incentive for young people to join and serve in our state's National Guard, as well as provide an incentive for those so serving to gain their college education. This bill would elevate this highly successful program to include graduate degrees.

This bill would expand on the success of this program. For pursuant to this bill, not only would national guard members be able to access this incentive to achieve a Baccalaureate degree, but it would extend this incentive to achieve a graduate degree. This would not only have the effect of encouraging people to join and remain in the service of the National Guard, but it would also add to the already great quality of New York's National Guard by allowing it to more easily retain its expe- rienced members and increase its overall education level.

Additionally, this bill also recognizes that as the better, higher paying jobs come more and more to require advanced degrees, this measure will allow current and former National Guard members to have greater access to those jobs, and encourage those with high level educations and talents to remain in our state.

Prior legislative history

A11384/S5644 of 2007-2008.

Fiscal implications

Any increased costs incurred by this bill would be more than offset by an increased income tax revenues generated from the ability of Guard Members to obtain higher paying employments.

Effective date

This act would take effect immediately.