What's happening
The bill creates a student loan forgiveness program for engineers who work in New York State after graduation.
Why it matters
Targets retention of engineering talent in New York. by tying loan forgiveness to a requirement that recipients work as engineers within the state for at least five years—potentially helping to address local shortages and support economic growth.
Limits forgiveness to 50% of tuition costs. (with the lower of actual tuition or SUNY in-state tuition used as a cap), which incentivizes students but does not eliminate loan burdens entirely, possibly making the program more sustainable and competitive.
Prioritizes graduates from New York-based engineering programs. for awards, aiming to reinforce in-state educational institutions and increase the likelihood that beneficiaries have ties to the region.
Imposes strict compliance and clawback provisions. if recipients leave engineering work in New York or fail to report their employment status within five years, their award reverts to a loan (plus interest), ensuring accountability and that benefits go to those fulfilling the program’s goals.
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Forgive Loans for Engineers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- 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.
Forgive Engineers' Student Loans
In Assembly Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Nily Rozic
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1657
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 10, 2017
Introduced by Sen. CARLUCCI -- 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 the empire engineers initiative act
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "the empire engineers initiative act".
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 679-h to read as follows:
§ 679-h. New York state engineers loan forgiveness program. 1. Purpose. The president shall grant student loan forgiveness awards for the purpose of increasing the number of engineers serving in New York city and the rest of the state.
2. Eligibility. To be eligible for an award pursuant to this section, applicants shall (a) have received a degree in engineering from an accredited college or university; (b) comply with subdivisions three and five of section six hundred sixty-one of this part; (c) have an outstanding student loan debt; and (d) enter into a contract with the corporation to perform engineering services within the state.
3. Awards. The corporation shall grant awards in an amount equal to fifty percent of the total tuition charged to the student by all schools or fifty percent of the total tuition charged to a state resident student attending an engineering program at the state university of New York, whichever is less prior to the application of any scholarships, grants, or other financial awards. Awards shall be within the amounts appropriated for such purpose and based on availability of funds.
4. Conversion. 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) at any point in the five year period after receipt of such award the recip-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00885-01-7
S. 1657 2
ient is not employed as an engineer located within New York state; or (b) a recipient fails to respond to requests by the corporation regarding his or her professional status.
5. Rules and regulations. The corporation is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this section, including a method for determining the priority in which awards are distributed. When determining rules concerning priority, the corporation shall take such action to ensure that the intent of this section is fulfilled, and shall give preference to individuals who received their degree from a New York based college or university. In the event that there are more applicants who have the same priority than there are remaining awards, the corporation shall provide in regulation the method of distributing the remaining number of such awards, which may include a lottery or other form of random selection.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to the empire engineers initiative act
Purpose
To create an incentive program to increase the number of engineers serving in New York City and the rest of the state.
Summary of provisions
Section I. Provides that this act shall be known and may be cited as "the Empire Engineers Initiative Act."
Section 2. Adds a new section 679-h to the education law to establish the New York State engineers loan forgiveness program for the purpose of increasing the number of engineers serving in New York City and the rest of the state. The program would provide for loan repayment assistance to individuals attending SUNY/CUNY who major in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields and promise to work in a qualifying engineering capacity in New York for at least five years after graduation or New Yorkers who go out of state for school, major in STEM fields, carry significant student loan debt and then return to New York after graduation to work in a qualifying engineering field for at least five years.
Section 3. Effective date.
Justification
This legislation would create the New York State engineer's loan forgiveness program, a joint city-state financial aid program for students who major in engineering and commit to working in New York for at least five years after graduation. Individuals would have up to 50% of their loans repaid by the State/City. This program would provide loan repayment assistance to: a) individuals attending SUNY/CUNY who major in STEM fields and promise to work in a qualifying engineering capacity for at least five years in New York following graduation and b) New Yorkers who go out of state for school, major in STEM fields, carry significant student loan debt, and then return to New York after graduation to work in a qualifying engineering field for at least five years.
Currently, there is a large, growing gap keeping many recent graduates out of the field and discouraging talented students from starting their careers in New York. A recent report by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer shows that by recruiting engineers and boosting an entrepreneurial sector, we can revitalize New York's economy. Currently, only 7.5% of African Americans and 4.9% of Latinos hold graduate or professional degrees, while women only make up 24% of STEM and 14% of engineering jobs. In addition to making sure that the doors of the entrepreneurial economy are open to all New Yorkers, the State should do more to retain students who come to New York from around the country and the world for college and graduate school. By creating a loan forgiveness program that is a joint partnership between the public and private sector, opportunities and incentives to enter the field of engineering would be greater than ever before.
Legislative history
2015-16: 1221-A - Higher Education 2013-14: S5660-A/A7811-A - Higher Education/Higher Education
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.