What's happening
This bill repeals the ban preventing incarcerated persons from receiving student financial aid awards in New York.
Why it matters
Expanding Access to Education. Allowing incarcerated individuals to receive student financial aid could significantly increase their access to higher education, which research shows can reduce recidivism and improve reentry outcomes.
Reducing Barriers to Rehabilitation. Removing this ban addresses a key barrier that prevents people in prison from pursuing educational opportunities, supporting their rehabilitation and personal development while incarcerated.
Potential Impact on Public Safety and Costs. By enabling education in prisons, the state may benefit from reduced repeat offenses, ultimately lowering correctional costs and enhancing public safety in the long term.
Aligning with Broader Criminal Justice Reforms. This change signals a shift toward treating education as a right and an essential tool for rehabilitation, aligning New York’s policy with broader criminal justice reform efforts at both state and federal levels.
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
Allow Prisoner Academic Awards
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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.
Restore Prisoner Education Aid
In Senate Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Velmanette Montgomery
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3975
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 31, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. AUBRY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to repeal paragraph d of subdivision 6 of section 661 of the education law relating to the ban on incarcerated persons for receiving student financial aid awards
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph d of subdivision 6 of section 661 of the education law is REPEALED.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02884-01-9
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.