Senate Bill S6879

2013-2014 Legislative Session

Relates to the New York state young farmers loan forgiveness incentive program

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Higher Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Mar 25, 2014	referred to higher education

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2013-S6879 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9287
Current Committee:: Senate Higher Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §679-f, Ed L

2013-S6879 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to the New York state young farmers loan forgiveness incentive program.

2013-S6879 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S6879         REVISED MEMO 03/25/2014

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
establishing the New York state young farmers loan forgiveness
incentive program

PURPOSE:

To establish a New York state young farmers loan forgiveness incentive
program.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one amends the education law to add a new section 679-f to
create the young farmers loan forgiveness incentive program.

Section two provides for the effective date.

EXISTING LAW:

Currently the education law provide for various loan forgiveness
programs in New York law.

JUSTIFICATION:

New York state law provides loan forgiveness programs to incentivize

courses of study in a needed area or profession to residents of the
state. Taking steps to recruit young, new farmers to the agricultural
profession is certainly one area in need of incentives like loan
forgiveness.

Agriculture is the leading industry in New York, yet New York's farm
community is aging and it has become increasingly difficult to attract
young people to farming and to encourage younger generations to
consider farming as a career. The average age of farm operators in New
York is 59, and is expected to continue to increase unless steps are
taken to reverse this trend. The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture has set
a goal of recruiting 100,000 new farmers across the country to replace
those who are retiring. By enacting a loan forgiveness program for
young farmers, New York can take one small step at helping that
recruitment effort.

Farming is a difficult business and there are many barriers to younger
farmers who might consider entering the profession. In fact, less than
1000 students were awarded degrees in agriculture by a college in New
York state. Yet the agricultural industry has a substantial impact on
the overall economic health and wellbeing of the state. It is in the
best interest of the state to ensure that enough producers are
recruited and retained in the agricultural field. Additionally, the
recent increase in demand for quality fresh locally grown foods and
beverages highlight the importance of assisting new farmers to enter
the profession.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.


FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Undetermined

EFFECTIVE DATE:

One hundred and eighty days after it shall have become a law;
provided, however, that any rules or regulations necessary for the
timely implementation of this act on its effective date, shall be
promulgated on or before such effective date.

2013-S6879 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                  6879

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             March 25, 2014
                               ___________

Introduced  by Sens. RITCHIE, BALL, BONACIC, DeFRANCISCO, FARLEY, GALLI-
  VAN, GRIFFO, GRISANTI, LARKIN,  LAVALLE,  LIBOUS,  LITTLE,  MARCHIONE,
  MAZIARZ, NOZZOLIO, O'MARA, RANZENHOFER, ROBACH, SEWARD, VALESKY, YOUNG
  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to
  the Committee on Higher Education

AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the New
  York state young farmers loan forgiveness incentive 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 679-f
to read as follows:
  S 679-F. NEW YORK  STATE  YOUNG  FARMERS  LOAN  FORGIVENESS  INCENTIVE
PROGRAM.  1. PURPOSE. THE PRESIDENT SHALL GRANT STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS
AWARDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ALLEVIATING THE BURDEN OF  STUDENT  LOAN  DEBT
FOR  YOUNG FARMERS. SUCH AWARDS SHALL BE MADE ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS, IN
ACCORDANCE WITH RULES AND REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE CORPORATION FOR
SUCH PURPOSES, TO APPLICANTS WHO MEET  THE  ELIGIBILITY  CRITERIA.  SUCH
RULES  AND REGULATIONS SHALL INCLUDE PROVISIONS FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF
APPLICANTS WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
  2. ELIGIBILITY. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD PURSUANT TO THIS  SECTION,
APPLICANTS  SHALL:  (A)  HAVE  GRADUATED  AND  OBTAINED A DEGREE FROM AN
APPROVED NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY; (B) HAVE  AN  OUTSTANDING
STUDENT  LOAN DEBT FROM OBTAINING SUCH DEGREE; (C) OPERATE A FARM IN NEW
YORK STATE ON A FULL-TIME BASIS; (D) AGREE TO OPERATE SUCH FARM FOR  THE
DURATION  OF  NO LESS THAN FIVE YEARS; (E) APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM WITHIN
TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE GRADUATION; AND (F) COMPLY WITH SUBDIVISIONS  THREE
AND FIVE OF SECTION SIX HUNDRED SIXTY-ONE OF THIS PART.
  3.  AWARDS.  NO  GREATER THAN TEN AWARDS SHALL BE GRANTED TO QUALIFIED
APPLICANTS IN THE AMOUNT OF UP TO TEN THOUSAND  DOLLARS  PER  YEAR,  PER
APPLICANT,  NOT TO EXCEED A DURATION OF FIVE YEARS AND NOT TO EXCEED THE
TOTAL AMOUNT OF SUCH APPLICANT'S  STUDENT  LOAN  DEBT.  THE  CORPORATION
SHALL  GRANT  SUCH  AWARDS WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED FOR SUCH PURPOSES
AND BASED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS. NO ONE APPLICANT  SHALL  RECEIVE

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD13526-03-4

S. 6879                             2

MORE  THAN A TOTAL OF FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS UPON THE END OF A FIVE YEAR
PERIOD.
  4.  PRIORITY.  FIRST  PRIORITY  SHALL  BE  GIVEN TO APPLICANTS WHO ARE
COMPLETING THE SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH OR FIFTH  YEAR  OF  FULL-TIME  FARM
OPERATION  AND  ARE  RE-APPLYING TO RECEIVE AN AWARD UNDER THIS PROGRAM.
SECOND PRIORITY SHALL BE GIVEN  TO  AN  APPLICANT  WHO  CAN  DEMONSTRATE
ECONOMIC NEED BUT DID NOT RECEIVE AN AWARD DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF THIS
PROGRAM'S OPERATION. IF LARGER NUMBERS OF APPLICANTS ARE ELIGIBLE PURSU-
ANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION THAN FUNDS AVAILABLE, APPLICANTS SHALL BE CHOSEN
PURSUANT  TO  RULES  AND  REGULATIONS  PROMULGATED  BY  THE CORPORATION.
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT EACH APPLICANT CHOSEN SHALL RECEIVE AN AWARD  OF
UP  TO TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IN EACH YEAR SUCH APPLICANT IS ACCEPTED INTO
THE PROGRAM.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law; provided, however that any  rules  or  regu-
lations  necessary  for  the  timely  implementation  of this act on its
effective date may be promulgated on or before such effective date.

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Senate Bill S6879

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Higher Education Committee

Actions

co-Sponsors

2013-S6879 (ACTIVE) - Details

2013-S6879 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2013-S6879 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2013-S6879 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Higher Education Committee

Actions

co-Sponsors

2013-S6879 (ACTIVE) - Details

2013-S6879 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2013-S6879 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2013-S6879 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments