S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  5518

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 28, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. GABRYSZAK, COLTON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of
  A. JAFFEE, WEISENBERG -- read once and referred to  the  Committee  on
  Higher Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a tuition
  assistance  program for volunteer firefighters and volunteer emergency
  medical service personnel

  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 609 to
read as follows:
  S  609.  TUITION  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM  FOR  VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND
VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PERSONNEL. 1. DEFINITIONS.  AS  USED
IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
  (A) "VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER" SHALL MEAN AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER MEMBER OF A
FIRE  COMPANY  OF  A  COUNTY,  A FIRE COMPANY OF A CITY, TOWN OR VILLAGE
LOCATED WITHIN SUCH COUNTY, OR A FIRE DISTRICT FIRE  DEPARTMENT  LOCATED
WITHIN  SUCH  COUNTY,  WHETHER  OR  NOT ANY SUCH COMPANY IS INCORPORATED
UNDER ANY GENERAL OR SPECIAL LAW.
  (B) "VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY MEDICAL  SERVICE  PERSONNEL"  SHALL  MEAN  AN
ACTIVE  VOLUNTEER MEMBER OF ANY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE AS ESTABLISHED
WITHIN A COUNTY, TOWN, VILLAGE OR CITY OR LOCAL TAX DISTRICT, WHETHER OR
NOT ANY SUCH SERVICE IS INCORPORATED UNDER ANY GENERAL OR SPECIAL LAW.
  (C) "PART-TIME STUDY" SHALL MEAN ENROLLMENT IN AN APPROVED POST-SECON-
DARY DEGREE PROGRAM FOR AT LEAST  SIX  BUT  LESS  THAN  TWELVE  SEMESTER
HOURS,  OR  THE  EQUIVALENT PER SEMESTER, OR AT LEAST FOUR BUT LESS THAN
EIGHT SEMESTER HOURS PER QUARTER IN AN INSTITUTION.
  (D) "INSTITUTION" SHALL  MEAN  ANY  INSTITUTION  OF  HIGHER  EDUCATION
RECOGNIZED AND APPROVED BY THE REGENTS OR THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF
NEW  YORK  WHICH PROVIDES A COURSE OF STUDY LEADING TO THE GRANTING OF A
POST-SECONDARY DEGREE OR DIPLOMA.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD09151-01-3

              

A. 5518                             2

  (E) "TUITION" SHALL MEAN THE TOTAL SEMESTER, QUARTER OR CLASSROOM HOUR
COST OF INSTRUCTION TO THE STUDENT  AS  PERIODICALLY  PUBLISHED  IN  THE
CATALOGUE  OF  THE  INSTITUTION,  SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDING MANDATORY FEES,
BOOK CHARGES AND ROOM AND BOARD.
  (F)  "DEGREE  PRODUCING  CURRICULUM"  SHALL  MEAN  A SERIES OF COURSES
PROGRAMMED TO CULMINATE IN A SPECIFIC POST-SECONDARY DEGREE  OR  DIPLOMA
WHEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED.
  2.  ANY COUNTY WITHIN THE STATE IS AUTHORIZED, BY ENACTMENT OF A LOCAL
LAW, TO ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT A TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR  VOLUN-
TEER  FIREFIGHTERS  AND VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PERSONNEL TO
PROVIDE TUITION ASSISTANCE TO VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND VOLUNTEER EMER-
GENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PERSONNEL ENROLLED ON AT LEAST A  PART-TIME  BASIS
IN A DEGREE PRODUCING CURRICULUM IN ANY INSTITUTION.  ANY PROGRAM ESTAB-
LISHED  PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL PROVIDE TUITION ASSISTANCE GRANTS
TO SUCH VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OR  VOLUNTEER  EMERGENCY  MEDICAL  SERVICE
PERSONNEL IN AN AMOUNT UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TUITION REQUIRED
TO  BE  PAID TO SUCH INSTITUTION BY SUCH VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OR VOLUN-
TEER EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PERSONNEL.
  3. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, RULE OR REGULATION  ANY
VOLUNTEER  FIREFIGHTER  OR VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PERSONNEL
SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROVIDED  BY  THIS  SECTION
PROVIDED  SUCH  VOLUNTEER  FIREFIGHTER  OR  VOLUNTEER  EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICE PERSONNEL SERVES IN SUCH POSITION WHILE  ENROLLED  IN  A  DEGREE
PRODUCING  CURRICULUM AT AN INSTITUTION AND FOR ONE ADDITIONAL YEAR UPON
COMPLETION OF ENROLLMENT AT SUCH INSTITUTION.
  4. ANY COUNTY WHICH  ESTABLISHES  A  TUITION  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM  FOR
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PERSONNEL
PURSUANT  TO  THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS  SECTION  SHALL  BE  ENTITLED TO
REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE STATE FOR ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE ACTUAL  COST
OF  TUITION  ASSISTANCE PAID BY SUCH COUNTY TO VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS OR
VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PERSONNEL.
  S 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2014.