What's happening
This bill provides free SUNY, CUNY, and community college tuition for active volunteer firefighters who meet certain requirements.
Why it matters
Encourages and rewards volunteer firefighting service. by providing a strong educational benefit, potentially increasing recruitment and retention of firefighters in local communities facing shortages.
Links educational benefits to ongoing community service and academic performance. To keep the tuition waiver, students must remain active volunteer firefighters, maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA, and finish their degree in 3-5 years, ensuring recipients are both academically and civically engaged.
Includes financial safeguards for the state. If a student fails to meet volunteer, academic, or program requirements, the waived tuition converts to a student loan with interest, reducing the risk of abuse of the program.
Limits financial impact and clarifies coverage. The program only covers tuition for a single undergraduate degree and requires students to first apply for other tuition assistance. Other costs (housing, fees, etc.) remain the student's responsibility, focusing the benefit specifically on tuition.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Free College for Volunteer Firefighters
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
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.
Free Tuition for Volunteer Firefighters
In Assembly Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Michaelle C. Solages
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4794
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 1, 2017
Introduced by Sens. KAMINSKY, BROOKS -- 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 providing free SUNY, CUNY and community college tuition to volunteer firefighters
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section 355 of the education law is amended by adding a new subparagraph 1-a to read as follows:
(1-a) The trustees shall implement a program to permit any student who has been admitted to a state-operated institution of the state university to attend without the payment of tuition and fees if such student serves as an active volunteer firefighter as defined in subdivision one of section two hundred fifteen of the general municipal law. The provisions of this subparagraph shall only apply to costs of one undergraduate degree and any additional costs associated with more than one simultaneous undergraduate degree shall not be covered by this program.
(i) The trustees shall provide an application process and administer the program according to the following criteria:
(A) Any student eligible for resident tuition rates is eligible for this program.
(B) The student shall be required to serve as an active volunteer firefighter through the completion of his or her academic program.
(C) Students shall be required to complete their degree program within a minimum period of time to be set by the trustees which shall be no fewer than three years and no more than five years.
(D) The student shall be required to maintain a cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.) of at least 2.5 in order to remain eligible for the program.
(ii) If a student or former student fails to fulfill any of the requirements set forth in clause (i) of this subparagraph, the trustees shall convert to a student loan the full amount of the tuition which
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04712-01-7
S. 4794 2
would have been paid by such student, as determined by the New York state higher education services corporation, plus interest, according to a schedule to be determined by such corporation. Such repayment may also be required if a recipient fails to respond to requests for information necessary to determine continued eligibility or for administration of the program.
(iii) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this subparagraph shall be required to apply for tuition assistance program funding. Funds awarded on the tuition assistance program shall be applied towards the cost of tuition prior to an award under this subparagraph.
(iv) Students shall be responsible for all other costs including housing, fees and other non-tuition related charges.
§ 2. Subdivision 7 of section 6206 of the education law is amended by adding a new paragraph (d) to read as follows:
(d) The trustees shall implement a program to permit any student who has been admitted to an institution operated by the city university to attend without the payment of tuition and fees if such student fulfills the requirements of such program pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph.
(i) The trustees shall provide an application process and administer the program according to the following criteria:
(A) Any student eligible for resident tuition rates is eligible for this program.
(B) The student shall be required to serve as an active volunteer firefighter through the completion of his or her academic program.
(C) Students shall be required to complete their degree program within a minimum period of time to be set by the trustees which shall be no fewer than three years and no more than five years.
(D) The student shall be required to maintain a cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.) of at least 2.5 in order to remain eligible for the program.
(ii) If a student or former student fails to fulfill any of the requirements set forth in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, the trustees shall convert to a student loan the full amount of the tuition which would have been paid by such student, as determined by the New York state higher education services corporation, plus interest, according to a schedule to be determined by such corporation. Such repayment may also be required if a recipient fails to respond to requests for information necessary to determine continued eligibility or for administration of the program.
(iii) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this paragraph shall be required to apply for tuition assistance program funding. Funds awarded on the tuition assistance program shall be applied towards the cost of tuition prior to an award under this subparagraph.
(iv) Students shall be responsible for all other costs including housing, fees and other non-tuition related charges.
§ 3. Subdivision 1 of section 6304 of the education law is amended by adding a new paragraph e to read as follows:
e. The trustees, sponsors or other governing body of a community college shall implement a program to permit any student who has been admitted to such community college to attend without the payment of tuition and fees if such student fulfills the requirements of such program pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph.
S. 4794 3
(i) The trustees shall provide an application process and administer the program according to the following criteria:
(A) Any student eligible for resident tuition rates is eligible for this program.
(B) The student shall be required to serve as an active volunteer firefighter through the completion of his or her academic program.
(C) Students shall be required to complete their degree program within a minimum period of time to be set by the trustees which shall be no fewer than three years and no more than five years.
(D) The student shall be required to maintain a cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.) of at least 2.5 in order to remain eligible for the program.
(ii) If a student or former student fails to fulfill any of the requirements set forth in subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, the trustees shall convert to a student loan the full amount of the tuition which would have been paid by such student, as determined by the New York state higher education services corporation, plus interest, according to a schedule to be determined by such corporation. Such repayment may also be required if a recipient fails to respond to requests for information necessary to determine continued eligibility or for administration of the program.
(iii) Any student who elects to participate in the program under this paragraph shall be required to apply for tuition assistance program funding. Funds awarded on the tuition assistance program shall be applied towards the cost of tuition prior to an award under this subparagraph.
(iv) Students shall be responsible for all other costs including housing, fees and other non-tuition related charges.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after 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 providing free SUNY, CUNY and community college tuition to volunteer firefighters
Purpose or general idea of bill
To provide students that are volunteer firefighters with the compensation of free tuition for the necessary and lifesaving service they provide to the State of New York.
Summary of specific provisions
Amends Paragraph H of Subdivision 2 of Section 355 of the education law to allow the trustees to implement a program to permit any student who has been admitted to a state university in New York to attend without the payment of tuition and fees if such student serves as an active volunteer firefighter. This student will be required to serve as an active volunteer firefighter until the completion of his or her academic program while also maintaining a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Justification
With the rising costs of attending college in the State of New York, our students that are providing a crucial and lifesaving service to the state deserve to be compensated for the time they give to protecting the people and communities of New York. This large time commitment made by these students is well deserving of financial compensation to be paid to the SUNY, CUNY or community colleges they are currently enrolled in.
This bill would serve as an incentive to the students of New York State to give back to the community by volunteering for this program. This legislation will provide the state with a cheaper and equally as effective firefighting staff.
Prior legislative history
New Bill
Fiscal implications
Free tuition for select students at SUNY, CUNY, and community colleges in New York State.
Effective date
On the ninetieth day after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.