S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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    S. 1192                                                  A. 3481

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                      S E N A T E - A S S E M B L Y

                            January 27, 2009
                               ___________

IN  SENATE  -- Introduced by Sens. THOMPSON, DUANE, C. JOHNSON, ONORATO,
  PARKER, STACHOWSKI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed
  to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education

IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. PEOPLES -- read once and  referred
  to the Committee on Education

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  education  law, in relation to establishing the
  police officer and firefighter loan forgiveness program

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 677-b
to read as follows:
  S 677-B. POLICE OFFICER AND FIREFIGHTER LOAN FORGIVENESS  PROGRAM.  1.
CERTIFICATION.  POLICE  OFFICER  AND FIREFIGHTER LOAN FORGIVENESS AWARDS
SHALL BE AWARDED EACH YEAR. SUCH AWARDS SHALL BE ALLOCATED  AS  PROVIDED
IN THIS SECTION TO ELIGIBLE POLICE OFFICERS AND ELIGIBLE FIREFIGHTERS AS
CERTIFIED TO THE COMMISSIONER BY THE PRESIDENT.
  2.  ELIGIBILITY. A POLICE OFFICER OR FIREFIGHTER SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR
AN AWARD UNDER THIS SECTION PROVIDED THAT: (I) SUCH PERSON RESIDES IN  A
CITY  WITH  A  POPULATION  BETWEEN  TWO  HUNDRED  FIFTY THOUSAND AND ONE
MILLION WHICH HAS ENACTED A LOCAL LAW PROVIDING FOR SUCH POLICE  OFFICER
AND  FIREFIGHTER  LOAN  FORGIVENESS PROGRAM, (II) SUCH POLICE OFFICER OR
FIREFIGHTER IS EMPLOYED IN SUCH CITY AS A POLICE OFFICER OR FIREFIGHTER,
AND (III) SUCH POLICE  OFFICER  OR  FIREFIGHTER  INCURRED  STUDENT  LOAN
EXPENSE  WHILE ATTENDING BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO OR
ERIE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
  3. DURATION. EACH AWARD SHALL ENTITLE THE RECIPIENT TO AN ANNUAL AWARD
AND A RECIPIENT SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR NO MORE THAN A TOTAL OF TWO  THOU-
SAND DOLLARS A YEAR FOR A MAXIMUM OF SIX YEARS.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD04681-01-9

S. 1192                             2                            A. 3481
              

  4. CALCULATION OF AWARD AMOUNTS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE
FOR CALCULATING THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF EACH AWARD THAT ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES
MAY RECEIVE FROM THIS PROGRAM.
  5.  STUDENT  LOAN EXPENSE. STUDENT LOAN EXPENSE SHALL MEAN THE CUMULA-
TIVE TOTAL OF THE ANNUAL STUDENT LOANS COVERING THE COST  OF  ATTENDANCE
AT  BUFFALO  STATE  COLLEGE,  UNIVERSITY  OF  BUFFALO  OR ERIE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE WHICH ARE OUTSTANDING WHEN APPLICATION FOR SUCH PROGRAM IS  MADE
PURSUANT  TO  SUBDIVISION  SIX  OF THIS SECTION. INTEREST PAID OR DUE ON
SUCH STUDENT LOANS THAT AN APPLICANT HAS TAKEN OUT FOR USE IN PAYING FOR
SUCH EDUCATION SHALL BE CONSIDERED ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT UNDER THIS
PROGRAM.
  6. APPLICATION AND SELECTION. APPLICATION SHALL BE MADE TO THE COMMIS-
SIONER IN A MANNER PRESCRIBED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
  7. AWARD DISBURSEMENT. ANNUAL AWARD DISBURSEMENTS SHALL BE THE RESPON-
SIBILITY OF THE COMMISSIONER. THE COMMISSIONER  SHALL  FORWARD  APPROVED
APPLICATIONS TO THE PRESIDENT NO LATER THAN NINETY DAYS AFTER RECEIPT OF
SUCH  APPLICATIONS.  WITHIN  FORTY-FIVE DAYS, THE PRESIDENT SHALL VERIFY
THE APPROVED APPLICANTS' ELIGIBILITY AND TOTAL STUDENT LOAN EXPENSE.
  8. NOTIFICATION. THE PRESIDENT SHALL NOTIFY THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  THE
AWARD  ENTITLEMENT FOR EACH APPROVED APPLICANT PURSUANT TO THE VERIFICA-
TION PERFORMED IN SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF THIS SECTION.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.