What's happening
This bill creates a tuition award program for SUNY undergraduate students who serve as volunteer firefighters in New York, with service requirements.
Why it matters
Addresses both college affordability and volunteer firefighter recruitment. by offering SUNY tuition awards, making higher education more accessible to those willing to serve their communities in a critical role.
Links financial aid to a service commitment. , requiring recipients to serve full-time as volunteer firefighters for five years, which could help stabilize and professionalize volunteer fire companies facing shortages.
Includes strong accountability measures. If a recipient fails to maintain good standing, complete their degree, or fulfill the service requirement, the tuition award is converted into a student loan with interest, ensuring public funds are tied to actual community service.
May incentivize long-term community engagement among young adults. , potentially strengthening local emergency response capacity and fostering civic responsibility through a clear pathway from education to public service.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Free College for Volunteer Firefighters
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
14 Co-sponsors
History
- Print number 3234a
- Amend and recommit to higher education
- Referred to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Free College for Volunteer Firefighters
In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor Patty Ritchie
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3234--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. BRINDISI, MOSLEY, BLAKE, SANTABARBARA, McDONALD, CURRAN, MURRAY, JAFFEE, M. G. MILLER, ORTIZ, RIVERA, CROUCH, DiPIETRO, PALMESANO, RAIA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COOK, ENGLEBRIGHT, GIGLIO, HAWLEY, HOOPER, LUPARDO, MAGEE, McDONOUGH, SCHIMMINGER, THIELE, WALTER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education -- recommitted to the Committee on Higher Education in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the volunteer firefighters of New York higher education learning plan
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 669-i to read as follows:
§ 669-i. Volunteer firefighters of New York higher education learning plan. 1. Eligibility. Undergraduate students who are matriculated in an approved undergraduate program at the state university of New York and are members in good standing in one of New York's volunteer fire companies shall be eligible for an award under this section, provided the applicant: (a) signs a contract with the corporation agreeing to work for a New York volunteer fire company on a full-time basis for five years; and (b) complies with the applicable provisions of this article and all requirements promulgated by the corporation for the administration of the program.
2. Within the amounts appropriated therefor, awards shall be granted to applicants that the corporation has certified are eligible to receive such awards. Such awards shall be made to recipients after the successful completion of each academic year, as defined by the corporation.
3. An award shall entitle the recipient to annual payments for not more than four academic years of full-time undergraduate study.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01877-03-8
A. 3234--A 2
4. Recipients shall receive an annual payment for the successful completion of an academic year, equal to up to one hundred percent of the annual tuition charged to state resident students attending an undergraduate program full-time at the state university of New York, or actual tuition charged, whichever is less.
5. 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 their course of studies as agreed to with the corporation or is not a member in good standing in a New York volunteer fire company while obtaining his or her degree; or (b) two years after the completion of their course of studies as agreed to with the corporation it is found that the recipient is not working for a New York volunteer fire company; or (c) a recipient has not worked for a New York volunteer fire company for five of the seven years after the completion of their course of studies as agreed to with the corporation; or (d) a recipient fails to respond to requests by the Fireman's Association of the State of New York for the status of his or her academic or professional progress.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.