What's happening
This bill allows students to receive state tuition assistance awards for up to five academic years in total.
Why it matters
Extending tuition assistance to five years could help students who need more time to complete their degrees. , such as those balancing school with work, family responsibilities, or who are enrolled part-time.
This change may particularly benefit students in programs that typically take longer than four years. , like certain engineering, architecture, or dual-degree tracks, making higher education more accessible for them.
By allowing assistance for a fifth year, the bill can help reduce student debt and dropout rates. , since financial barriers in the final year are a common reason students fail to graduate.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Extend Tuition Aid to 5 Years
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 38
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to higher education
- Committee discharged and committed to higher education
- Referred to education
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
143
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sens. CARLUCCI, SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the duration of tuition assistance awards
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 604 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 1-a to read as follows:
1-a. Tuition assistance awards provided for in subdivision one of this section shall be available to students enrolled in approved programs for five academic years in the aggregate.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05290-01-9
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 the duration of tuition assistance awards
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to extend the duration of tuition assistance awards to five years. Present law provides for undergraduate students to generally receive tuition assistance payments (TAP) for four years of study. Students who are enrolled in certain approved 5-year undergradu- ate programs may receive 5 years of TAP assistance.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Adds a new subdivision 1-a to section 604 of the education law providing that TAP aid be available to students enrolled in approved programs for 5 academic years in the aggregate.
Section 2. Effective date.
Justification
New York State funds two programs which provide need-based aid to all eligible higher education students: the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), a state-operated financial aid program for State residents attending approved postsecondary institutions in New York, and the Supplemental Tuition Assistance Program (STAP) providing up to one addi- tional year of aid for educationally disadvantaged students enrolled in remedial courses. STAP awards are determined in the same manner as TAP awards. It is a given fact that the Legislature has a history of endeav- oring to maintain a balanced relationship between the independent and public sectors of higher education. This has been coupled with a desire to make resources available for providing students with the maximum access in all sectors of higher education.
In past years, eligibility levels were increased, along with the maximum awards available to students attending New York's colleges. However, there has been no effort to increase the number of years of eligibility for these very same students.
New factors have evolved during this time, including the lack of class availability for those students who hope to graduate within the "normal" four year period. Subsequently, many students have been forced to attend college for up to five years to obtain their undergraduate degree. Many students who need to work to support themselves are also forced to reduce their coursework, also prolonging their college years. New York needs to factor these circumstances into the equation when allocating TAP assistance.
Legislative history
2017-18: S1722/A1227 - HIGHER EDUCATION/higher education 2015-16: S1224/A265 - Higher Education/Higher Education 2014: S6844/A2502 - Higher Education/Higher Education
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.