What's happening
This bill increases regents awards for children of deceased police, peace officers, firefighters, and correction officers to match SUNY undergraduate tuition.
Why it matters
Aligns the award amount with actual SUNY tuition costs. , making the benefit more meaningful and responsive to rising education expenses, rather than providing a flat, outdated dollar amount.
Ensures children of deceased public safety officers can fully cover tuition at a SUNY school. , potentially reducing the need for loans or other financial aid and increasing access to higher education for these families.
Updates eligibility language to include all approved programs. , which could broaden the range of degrees or certificates that may be covered, not limiting support to traditional four-year programs.
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Who cares
Children of fallen police, peace and correction officers
Eligible New York resident students would receive annual awards equal to SUNY’s undergraduate tuition for state residents instead of $450.
Children of fallen firefighters and volunteer firefighters
Eligible students would receive the higher award for up to four undergraduate academic years, or five if their program normally requires five years.
New York State education officials
The bill would require recipients to be matriculated in an approved program as defined by the commissioner.
Children of state correction officers receiving Section 669 awards
They would remain barred from receiving an additional award under this program.
Headline styles
Free Tuition for Fallen Heroes' Kids
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4137
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 3, 2017
Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- 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 regents awards for children of deceased police officers, peace officers, firefighters and volunteer firefighters
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 668-a of the education law, as amended by chapter 887 of the laws of 1981, the section heading and subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 568 of the laws of 1999 and subdivision 3 as added by chapter 335 of the laws of 1987, is amended to read as follows:
§ 668-a. Regents awards for children of deceased police officers, peace officers, firefighters and volunteer firefighters. 1. Eligible students. Awards shall be made to resident children of police officers and peace officers as defined in the criminal procedure law, firefighters and volunteer firefighters and correction officers of the state or any political subdivision thereof, or volunteer firefighters of fire departments or companies under contract to provide fire protection to a municipality or fire district who have died as a result of an injury sustained in the line of duty, who are matriculated in an approved program, as defined by the commissioner pursuant to article thirteen of this chapter.
2. Amount and duration. Every recipient shall receive an annual award [of four hundred fifty dollars] equal to the amount of undergraduate tuition for residents of New York state charged by the state university of New York for each of not more than four academic years of undergraduate study or five academic years if a program normally requires five years, as defined by the commissioner pursuant to article thirteen of this chapter.
3. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of this chapter, no child of a correction officer of the state who is receiving an award
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09646-01-7
S. 4137 2
under the provisions of section six hundred sixty-nine of this article shall receive an award under the provisions of this section.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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 regents awards for children of deceased police officers, peace officers, firefighters and volunteer firefighters
Purpose
This bill amends the education law to increase the regents scholarship for children of deceased police officers, peace officers, firefighters and volunteer firefighters from the current award of $450 per year to the cost of tuition at the State University of New York (SUNY).
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill amends subdivisions one and two of section 668a of the education law to increase the regents scholarship for children of deceased police officers, peace officers, firefighters and volunteer firefighters from the current award of $450 per year to the cost of tuition and room and board at the State University of New York (SUNY).
Section 2 of the bill sets for the effective date.
Justification
Over the last decade, there has been no change to the regents scholarship award amount that the child of a deceased police officer, peace officer, firefighter or volunteer firefighter who dies in the line of duty would receive. However, the cost of a college education has increase dramatically.
When faced with the tragic situation of losing a parent, overcoming that grief and obtaining a higher education can be extremely daunting. Considering the emotional and financial hardship children who lose parents in the line of duty often face and the extreme sacrifice those parents have made, this bill seeks to lessen that hardship and acknowledge that sacrifice by increasing the scholarship amount from $450 a year to the cost of SUNY tuition.
This scholarship could be applied to the college of the eligible child's choice and would ease the financial burden of trying to obtain a college degree.
Legislative history
2015-16 S.16; 2013-14 S.1657A/A.6795A
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.