What's happening
This bill expands scholarship eligibility to families of New York military personnel who die or are disabled while performing official duties, not just in combat.
Why it matters
Expands scholarship eligibility beyond combat-related incidents. families of service members who die or are disabled during any official military duty (not just in combat zones) would now qualify, recognizing the risks of all military service.
Covers a wider range of circumstances. includes deaths or disabilities from training accidents, non-combat missions, and other official duties, which were previously excluded but still result in significant family hardship.
Provides more equitable support for military families. acknowledges that the impact of loss or severe injury is the same regardless of where or how it occurred, aiming to reduce disparities in benefits between families.
Empowers the state to define “official duties”. the education commissioner will set regulations clarifying what counts as “official duties,” potentially shaping the future scope and reach of the scholarship.
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
Free Tuition for Military Families
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 8
34 Co-sponsors
- Robert Ortt
- Joseph P. Addabbo Jr.
- Fredrick J. Akshar II
- Bob Antonacci
- Neil D. Breslin
- Leroy Comrie
- Simcha Felder
- Rich Funke
- Patrick M. Gallivan
- Andrew Gounardes
- Joseph A. Griffo
- Pete Harckham
- Pamela Helming
- Chris Jacobs
- Daphne Jordan
- Todd Kaminsky
- Anna Kaplan
- Timothy M. Kennedy
- Andrew J. Lanza
- Kenneth P. LaValle
- Betty Little
- John Liu
- Monica Martinez
- Shelley Mayer
- Jen Metzger
- Thomas F. O'Mara
- Roxanne J. Persaud
- Michael H. Ranzenhofer
- Patty Ritchie
- Luis R. Sepúlveda
- Susan Serino
- James L. Seward
- James Skoufis
- Kevin Thomas
History
- Referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs
- Referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5187
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
April 12, 2019
Introduced by Sens. BROOKS, ORTT, ADDABBO, COMRIE, FELDER, FUNKE, GALLI- VAN, HARCKHAM, HELMING, JACOBS, JORDAN, KAMINSKY, KAPLAN, KENNEDY, LANZA, MARTINEZ, RANZENHOFER, RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to providing scholarships for surviving dependent family members of New York state military personnel who have died while performing official military duties
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 668-e of the education law, as added by chapter 106 of the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:
§ 668-e. Military enhanced recognition, incentive and tribute ("MERIT") scholarships. 1. Eligible persons. a. Notwithstanding subdivisions three and five of section six hundred sixty-one of this [title] part, children, spouses and financial dependents of a member of the armed forces of the United States or state organized militia who at any time on or after the second day of August, nineteen hundred ninety, while in service in the armed forces of the United States, as defined by subdivision eight of section one of the military law or in a force of the state organized militia, as defined in subdivision nine of section one of the military law: (i) while a legal resident of New York state, died, became severely and permanently disabled or was classified as missing in action [in a combat theater or combat zone of operations as part of military operations, or died as a result of injury or illness suffered or incurred during such military service] in the performance of his or her official duties; or (ii) while a legal resident of New York state, died or became severely and permanently disabled as a result of injury or illness suffered or incurred during military training operations in preparation for duty in a combat theater or combat zone of operations.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11199-02-9
S. 5187 2
b. A member of the armed forces of the United States who: (i) became severely and permanently disabled as a result of service in the armed forces of the United States, as defined by subdivision eight of section one of the military law, [in a combat theater or combat zone of operations] in the performance of his or her official duties as part of military operations at any time on or after the second day of August, nineteen hundred ninety; and (ii) was a legal resident of New York state at the time of military service.
c. A member of the armed forces of the United States who: (i) became severely and permanently disabled as a result of injury or illness suffered or incurred during military training operations [in preparation for duty in a combat theater or combat zone of operations] in the performance of his or her official duties; and (ii) was a legal resident of New York state at the time of military service.
d. A member of the state organized militia who: (i) became severely and permanently disabled as a result of injury or illness suffered or incurred during active military service, as defined in subdivision six of section one of the military law related to duty [in a combat theater or combat zone of operations] in the performance of his or her official duties; and (ii) was a legal resident of New York state at the time of active military service.
e. The commissioner shall define, establish and promulgate any necessary rules and regulations to define the term "official duties".
2. Amount. The president shall grant annual scholarships in amounts determined in accordance with subdivisions two and three of section six hundred sixty-eight-d of this part.
§ 2. This act shall take effect April 1, 2020.
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 providing scholarships for surviving dependent family members of New York state military personnel who have died while performing official military duties
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to provide college tuition to the dependents of New York State military personnel who in the performance of their duties have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. amends section 668-e of the education law to provide that the dependents of New York State military personnel who die in the perform- ance of their duties are provided with college tuition.
Section 2. is the enacting clause.
Justification
This bill is essential to ensuring that we as a state recognize those men and women who in the course of serving our country have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Losing a loved is not only one of the most tragic events one experiences in life, but also an emotional and financial burden. We hope that providing a quality education for those who have lost a mother or father will provide some small solace for that sacri- fice, and bind the emotional and financial wounds that otherwise dampen their ability to learn and succeed in the future.
Fiscal implications
Minimal
Effective date
This act shall take effect April 1, 2020.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.