S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6821
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               April 8, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. BICHOTTE HERMELYN, RICHARDSON, WILLIAMS, SIMON --
   read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the education law, in relation to redefining science,
   technology, engineering, and math education (STEM)
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Legislative  findings  and intent. The legislature hereby
 finds that the state requires a comprehensive approach to science, tech-
 nology, engineering, and  math  education  (STEM).  Under  current  law,
 little  to  no  incentives  or  programmatic funding exists to push STEM
 education forward. The legislature further finds it essential  to  bring
 back  business  and  industry in STEM education programs by getting them
 involved for career development. Furthermore, the legislature  finds  it
 questionable whether current curriculum focuses on the adequate areas to
 provide  children with the standards needed to fulfill a math or science
 job opportunity in the future.
   Therefore be it resolved that the legislature intends  to  mirror  the
 federal efforts underway to promote STEM and enable New York students to
 compete  internationally  in  educational  fields  that drive the global
 economy and to provide the appropriate funding for STEM programs.
   § 2. Section 669-e of the education law, as added by section 1 of part
 BB of chapter 56 of the laws of 2018, subdivision 1 as amended by  chap-
 ter 329 of the laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows:
   § 669-e. New York state science, technology, engineering and mathemat-
 ics incentive program. 1. Undergraduate students who are matriculated in
 an  approved  undergraduate  program  leading  to  a  career in science,
 COMPUTER SCIENCE, technology, engineering, INCLUDING DESIGN  SKILLS  AND
 PRACTICE, or mathematics at a New York state public institution of high-
 er  education  for  the purpose of subdivision two of this section, or a
 New York state private degree granting institution of  higher  education
 for  the purpose of subdivision two-a of this section, shall be eligible
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD06504-01-1

 A. 6821                             2
 
 for an award under this section, provided the applicant:  (a)  graduates
 from  a  high  school  located in New York state during or after the two
 thousand thirteen--fourteen school year; and (b)  graduates  within  the
 top  ten  percent  of  his  or her high school class; and (c) enrolls in
 full-time study each term beginning in the fall term after  his  or  her
 high  school graduation in an approved undergraduate program in science,
 COMPUTER SCIENCE, technology, engineering, INCLUDING DESIGN  SKILLS  AND
 PRACTICE,  or  mathematics, as defined by the corporation, at a New York
 state institution of higher education; and (d) signs a contract with the
 corporation agreeing that his or  her  award  will  be  converted  to  a
 student  loan in the event the student fails to comply with the terms of
 this program as set forth in subdivision four of this section;  and  (e)
 complies with the applicable provisions of this article and all require-
 ments  promulgated  by  the  corporation  for  the administration of the
 program.
   2. Awards shall be granted beginning with the two thousand  fourteen--
 two  thousand  fifteen academic year and thereafter to applicants at New
 York state public institutions of higher education that the  corporation
 has  determined  are  eligible  to  receive such awards. The corporation
 shall grant such awards in an amount equal to the amount of  undergradu-
 ate tuition for residents of New York state charged by the state univer-
 sity of New York or actual tuition charged, whichever is less; provided,
 however,  (i)  a student who receives educational grants and/or scholar-
 ships that cover the student's full cost  of  attendance  shall  not  be
 eligible  for  an  award  under  this  program;  (ii)  for a student who
 receives educational grants and/or scholarships that cover less than the
 student's full cost of attendance, such grants and/or scholarships shall
 not be deemed duplicative of this program and may be  held  concurrently
 with an award under this program, provided that the combined benefits do
 not  exceed  the  student's  full cost of attendance; and (iii) an award
 under this program shall be applied to tuition after the application  of
 all  other  educational  grants  and scholarships limited to tuition and
 shall be reduced in an amount equal to such  educational  grants  and/or
 scholarships.  Upon  notification  of  an  award under this program, the
 institution shall defer the amount of tuition equal  to  the  award.  No
 award  shall  be  final until the recipient's successful completion of a
 term has been certified by the institution.
   2-a. Within amounts appropriated therefor and based on availability of
 funds, beginning with the two thousand eighteen--two  thousand  nineteen
 academic  year  and thereafter, awards shall be granted to applicants at
 New York state private degree granting institutions of higher  education
 that the corporation has determined are eligible to receive such awards.
 The corporation shall grant such awards in an amount equal to the amount
 of  undergraduate tuition for residents of New York state charged by the
 state university of New York or actual  tuition  charged,  whichever  is
 less;  provided,  however, (i) a student who receives educational grants
 and/or scholarships that cover the student's  full  cost  of  attendance
 shall  not  be  eligible  for  an  award  under this program; (ii) for a
 student who receives educational grants and/or scholarships  that  cover
 less  than  the  student's  full  cost of attendance, such grants and/or
 scholarships shall not be deemed duplicative of this program and may  be
 held  concurrently  with  an award under this program, provided that the
 combined benefits do not exceed the student's full cost  of  attendance;
 and  (iii) an award under this program shall be applied to tuition after
 the application of all other educational grants and scholarships limited
 to tuition and shall be reduced in an amount equal to  such  educational

 A. 6821                             3
 
 grants  and/or  scholarships.  Upon  notification of an award under this
 program, the institution shall defer the amount of tuition equal to  the
 award.  No  award  shall  be  final  until  the  recipient's  successful
 completion of a term has been certified by the institution.
   3. An eligible recipient shall not receive an award for more than four
 academic  years  of full-time undergraduate study or five academic years
 if the program of study normally  requires  five  years,  excluding  any
 allowable interruption of study.
   4.  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) a recipient fails
 to complete an  approved  undergraduate  program  in  science,  COMPUTER
 SCIENCE,  technology, engineering, INCLUDING DESIGN SKILLS AND PRACTICE,
 or mathematics or changes majors to a  program  of  undergraduate  study
 other  than  in  science,  COMPUTER  SCIENCE,  technology,  engineering,
 INCLUDING DESIGN SKILLS  AND  PRACTICE,  or  mathematics;  or  (b)  upon
 completion  of  such  undergraduate  degree program a recipient fails to
 either (i) complete five years of continuous full time employment in the
 science, COMPUTER SCIENCE,  technology,  engineering,  INCLUDING  DESIGN
 SKILLS AND PRACTICE, or mathematics field with a public or private enti-
 ty located within New York state, or (ii) maintain residency in New York
 state for such period of employment; or (c) a recipient fails to respond
 to  requests by the corporation for the status of his or her academic or
 professional progress. The terms  and  conditions  of  this  subdivision
 shall  be  deferred  for  individuals  who  graduate with a degree in an
 approved undergraduate program in science, COMPUTER SCIENCE, technology,
 engineering, INCLUDING DESIGN SKILLS AND PRACTICE,  or  mathematics  and
 enroll  on  at  least  a  half-time basis in a graduate or higher degree
 program or other professional licensure degree program  until  they  are
 conferred  a  degree, and shall also be deferred for any interruption in
 undergraduate study or employment as established by the rules and  regu-
 lations of the corporation. The terms and conditions of this subdivision
 may also be deferred for a grace period, to be established by the corpo-
 ration, following the completion of an approved undergraduate program in
 science,  COMPUTER  SCIENCE,  technology,  engineering, INCLUDING DESIGN
 SKILLS AND PRACTICE, or mathematics a graduate or higher degree  program
 or other professional licensure degree program. Any obligation to comply
 with such provisions as outlined in this section shall be cancelled upon
 the  death  of  the  recipient.  Notwithstanding  any provisions of this
 subdivision to the contrary, the corporation is authorized to promulgate
 rules and regulations to provide for the waiver  or  suspension  of  any
 financial obligation which would involve extreme hardship.
   5.  The corporation is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations,
 and may promulgate emergency regulations, necessary for the  implementa-
 tion  of  the provisions of this section, including, but not limited to,
 the rate of interest charged for repayment of the student loan  and  the
 criteria  for  distributing  the  awards, which may include a lottery or
 other form of random selection for awards distributed pursuant to subdi-
 vision two-a of this section.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.