What's happening
This bill creates a New York State education grant for service corps members to help pay tuition or student loans if federal AmeriCorps funding is reduced.
Why it matters
Ensures state-level financial support for service corps members. By creating a grant equivalent to the federal AmeriCorps Segal education award, the bill guarantees that New Yorkers in service or fellowship positions will still receive help paying for college or repaying loans if federal funds are cut, maintaining incentives for public service.
Targets graduates in public service roles. The grant is specifically for individuals serving in positions like the New York State Conservation Corps and other recognized public service fellowships, helping to attract and retain talent in jobs that benefit communities statewide.
Sets up a rapid response mechanism for funding gaps. The bill requires the state budget director to quickly notify legislative leaders and propose a plan if federal funding drops, ensuring a prompt, organized response so recipients don’t experience delays or uncertainty about their awards.
Allows legislative oversight and flexibility. The legislature has 90 days to propose and approve an alternative funding plan if it disagrees with the budget director’s approach, balancing executive action with democratic input and accountability.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Grants for Service Corps Members
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
6440
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 19, 2017
Introduced by Sen. STAVISKY -- 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 establishing a service corps education grant to be used for tuition costs or loan repayment; and to amend the executive law, in relation to funding for the service corps education grant
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 683-C to read as follows:
§ 683-C. Tuition or loan repayment for fellowship programs. 1. Individuals serving in the New York state conservation corps positions provided by section 3.23 of the parks, recreation and historic preservation law or any position otherwise deemed as a public service fellowship attained upon graduation by the corporation, shall be eligible for an education grant to be used for either tuition costs at eligible institutions of higher education or loan repayment that is at least equivalent to the Segal education award available under the Americorps program as of October first, two thousand sixteen based on duration of service.
2. The corporation shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this section.
§ 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 184 to read as follows:
§ 184. Replacement of funds for Americorps or fellowship programs. In the event that the federal budget or continuing resolutions in force for federal fiscal years two thousand seventeen or two thousand eighteen, or both, or federal statutory or regulatory changes, reduce federal financial participation or other federal aid in funding to New York state that affects the state operating funds for the Americorps Segal education award or other post-graduate fellowship or service corps programs
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11839-01-7
S. 6440 2
funded in part or entirely by federal dollars, the director of the division of the budget shall notify the temporary president of the senate and speaker of the assembly in writing that the federal actions will reduce expected funding to New York state. The director of the division of the budget shall then authorize a suballocation or transfer of funds to meet the obligations imposed by section six hundred eighty-three-C of the education law and shall submit a plan to the legislature describing the nature of the suballocations. The legislature shall have ninety days after such submission to either prepare its own plan that provides for a replacement of such funds, which may be adopted by concurrent resolution passed by both houses, or if after ninety days the legislature fails to adopt their own plan, the plan proposed by the director of the division of the budget will go into effect automatically.
§ 3. 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 establishing a service corps education grant to be used for tuition costs or loan repayment; and to amend the executive law, in relation to funding for the service corps education grant
Purpose
Ensures that participants in New York State service corps programs, including the New York Conservation Corps and any other state service corps programs receive education grants for tuition or loan repayment.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the education law to establish a new program under the Higher Education Services Corporation to provide for an education grant at least equivalent to the Segal education award available under federal law as of October 1, 2016 for participants in state fellowship and corps programs outlined in this section.
Section 2 provides that the Director of the Budget shall adopt a plan if federal changes were to cut Americorps Segal awards or other related funding so that state slots in such programs were protected from elimination.
Section 3 establishes an effective date.
Existing law
New
Justification
As of 2017, there were over 5,200 New Yorkers serving in full- and part-time Americorps positions in New York. Under current federal rules, these corps members receive education grants that can be used for tuition (for those who have not yet completed college) or loan repayment (for those who have). In his budget, President Trump plans to eliminate Americorps funding which would deprive these young people serving New York of an important way to help fund their education.
This bill will ensure that if the federal Americorps program is eliminated, New Yorkers participating in existing and any expanded state service corps programs have access to education grants for tuition or loan repayment.
Legislative history
New
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.