What's happening
This bill creates a scholarship program for children and spouses of victims disabled or killed in the 2010 Haiti earthquake, allowing them to attend certain New York public colleges.
Why it matters
Directly supports families affected by the Haiti earthquake. By targeting children and spouses of those killed or permanently disabled in the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the bill provides educational assistance to a group that may lack other forms of support, helping them rebuild their lives and futures.
Limits on number and duration of scholarships. The program is capped at up to ten annual scholarships, each covering up to four or five years of undergraduate study (depending on program length), which means competition may be high, but ensures focused, sustained support for recipients.
Covers significant educational costs. Scholarships match in-state tuition and mandatory fees at SUNY and CUNY institutions (excluding certain specialized colleges), and can cover up to the total cost of attendance after other aid is applied, reducing or eliminating financial barriers for awardees.
Clarifies eligibility and avoids duplication. The bill specifies exactly who qualifies as a “child” for these scholarships and ensures recipients do not receive funds that would duplicate other government educational benefits, targeting aid efficiently and preventing overlap with other programs.
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Who cares
Children and spouses of Haitian earthquake victims
The bill would make them eligible for undergraduate scholarships if the victim died or became severely and permanently disabled from injuries caused by the January 12, 2010 earthquake.
Severely and permanently disabled earthquake survivors
Survivors themselves could qualify for awards covering tuition and mandatory fees for up to four undergraduate academic years, or five for programs normally requiring five years.
SUNY and CUNY institutions
The bill would provide up to ten annual scholarships at eligible campuses, exclude specified colleges and cap recipients’ tuition at the state-resident rate.
Headline styles
Scholarships for Haitian Earthquake Survivors
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
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
385
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PERRY, VANEL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a Haitian Earthquake victims survivor college scholarship program for children and spouses of persons injured in the January twelfth, two thousand ten earthquake in Haiti
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 609-a to read as follows:
§ 609-a. Haitian earthquake victims survivor college scholarship. 1. Notwithstanding subdivisions three and five of section six hundred sixty-one of this title, children and spouses of innocent victims who have died or have been severely and permanently disabled, or those innocent victims who have become severely and permanently disabled as a direct result of an injury sustained on the island nation of Haiti due to the January twelfth, two thousand ten earthquake, or the aftershocks of the earthquake, occurring on that island nation, shall be eligible to receive a scholarship in an annual amount determined pursuant to subdivision two of section six hundred sixty-eight-h of this title.
2. Awards under this section shall be payable 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 this article.
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 668-h to read as follows:
§ 668-h. Haitian earthquake victims survivor college scholarship program. 1. Eligible groups. Notwithstanding subdivisions three and five of section six hundred sixty-one of this part, children and spouses of innocent victims who have died or have been severely and permanently
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05246-01-9
A. 385 2
disabled, or those innocent victims who have become severely and permanently disabled as a direct result of an injury sustained on the island nation of Haiti in the impact area of the January twelfth, two thousand ten earthquake occurring on that island nation, shall be eligible to receive a memorial scholarship as provided in this section.
2. Amount. The president shall grant up to ten annual scholarships to recipients attending an institution of the city university of New York or an institution of the state university of New York other than the statutory colleges at Cornell, the college of environmental science and forestry at Syracuse and the college of ceramics at Alfred, in an amount equal to the sum of the tuition charged at such institution provided that, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the tuition charged to award recipients shall not exceed that charged to state resident students attending such institution and the mandatory fees charged at such institution; provided, however, that the scholarship shall not exceed an amount that is equal to the total cost of attendance determined for federal Title IV student financial aid purposes, less all other scholarships and grants provided by New York state, other states, the federal government, or other governments, and the amount of educational benefits paid under any program that would duplicate the purposes of this program, provided that any scholarships or grants provided to a recipient by the institution which are intended to fund any portion of the difference between the annual state award and the actual costs of attendance at any such institution shall not be considered to duplicate the purposes of this program. In no event shall the combination of all student financial aid received by a student exceed a recipient's total cost of attendance at the institution being attended.
3. Duration. Awards under this section shall be payable 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 title.
§ 3. Section 604 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 13 to read as follows:
13. Haitian earthquake victims survivor college scholarship.
§ 4. Subdivision 5 of section 601 of the education law, as amended by chapter 305 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows:
5. "Children" as referenced in subdivision four of section six hundred four and sections six hundred eight, six hundred eight-a, six hundred sixty-eight-a, six hundred sixty-eight-b, six hundred sixty-eight-d [and], six hundred sixty-eight-e and six hundred sixty-eight-h of this title shall mean: (a) birth children, adopted children, stepchildren who survive an individual, or children for whom an individual was a legal guardian, and (b) other children related by blood, adoption or marriage to an individual for whom such individual had assumed and was exercising custody and care as of the date of such individual's death.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after February 1, 2020, and shall be applicable for awards made for the 2020-2021 academic year and all subsequent academic years.
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.