What's happening
This bill creates a loan forgiveness program for engineers who work in New York State after earning an engineering degree.
Why it matters
Targets New York’s engineering workforce shortage. By offering loan forgiveness, the program aims to attract and retain engineering graduates within New York State, addressing a critical need for more engineers in both New York City and other regions.
Benefits recent and future engineering graduates. The bill is designed for those with engineering degrees and outstanding student loan debt, providing significant financial relief if they choose to work in-state as engineers.
Sets clear conditions and limits for forgiveness. Loan forgiveness covers up to 50% of tuition costs (after accounting for scholarships and grants), but only as long as the recipient remains employed as an engineer in New York for five years; otherwise, the forgiven amount reverts to a loan with interest.
Prioritizes graduates from New York institutions. Preference is given to applicants who earned their engineering degree from a New York-based college or university, further incentivizing in-state education and employment, with rules allowing for a lottery if demand exceeds available funds.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Engineer Loan Forgiveness Program
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 25
2 Multi-sponsors
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
2921
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 28, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ROZIC, COOK, HEVESI, JAFFEE, MOSLEY, SANTABARBARA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. ABBATE, SIMON -- read once and referred 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-k to read as follows:
§ 679-k. 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
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00806-01-9
A. 2921 2
any point in the five year period after receipt of such award the recipient 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.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.