What's happening
This bill creates a merit-based scholarship for top-performing New York high school graduates attending state community colleges.
Why it matters
Targets high-achieving students. By requiring recipients to graduate in the top 20% of their high school class and maintain a 3.3 GPA, the scholarship incentivizes academic excellence and supports students who have demonstrated strong academic potential.
Improves college affordability. The scholarship provides up to $2,000 over two years, which can help offset tuition and related costs—such as books, transportation, and room and board—making community college more accessible to students who might otherwise struggle financially.
Does not affect existing aid. Receiving this scholarship does not reduce a student’s eligibility for other forms of tuition assistance, meaning students can potentially layer this benefit with other financial aid for greater support.
Expands access, including for part-time students. While full-time students can receive up to two years of awards, part-time students are not subject to the same time limitation, broadening the program’s reach to non-traditional students who may need more flexibility.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Reward Top Community College Students
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
20 Co-sponsors
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- 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.
Merit Scholarships for Community College
In Senate Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Robert Ortt
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6125
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 23, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. LUPINACCI -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the community college merit and mobility scholarship
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-h to read as follows:
§ 669-h. The community college merit and mobility scholarship. 1. Purpose. The community college merit and mobility scholarship is hereby established for the purpose of granting merit based scholarships to students who attend a New York state community college.
2. Eligibility. To be eligible for such awards, an applicant must have graduated from a New York state high school within the top twenty percent of his or her high school class and achieve the following:
a. remain in good academic standing, and
b. maintain a grade point average of 3.3 or above.
3. Awards. One thousand scholarships shall be awarded in the two thousand seventeen -- two thousand eighteen academic year, and thereafter. The annual scholarship shall be awarded to eligible applicants in the amount of one thousand dollars per year for not more than two academic years. The maximum scholarship award shall not exceed two thousand dollars. The president shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to make such scholarship available on an annual basis to full-time recipients or per credit basis to part-time recipients. Part-time students shall not be impacted by the two-year academic year award limitation. Up to one thousand scholarships may be granted to new recipients annually. The receipt of such scholarships shall not affect tuition assistance eligibility. In no event shall the amount of the annual award exceed the recipient's cost of attendance at the institution attended. Cost of attendance shall mean tuition, required fees, labora-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02974-01-7
A. 6125 2
tory and other instruction related to expenses, books, transportation, and room and board.
4. Priority. In the event that there are more applicants who have the same priority than there are remaining scholarships, the president shall distribute the remaining number of such scholarships by means of a lottery or other form of random selection.
5. Rules. The corporation is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations, and may promulgate emergency regulations, for the necessary implementation of the provisions of this section.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
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.