NY State Senate Bill 2015-S7549

Senate Bill S7549

2015-2016 Legislative Session

Establishes the New York state educating leaders for excellence in community transformation program

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Assembly 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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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jun 17, 2016	referred to higher education delivered to assembly passed senate
Jun 01, 2016	ordered to third reading cal.1273 committee discharged and committed to rules
May 17, 2016	reported and committed to finance
May 09, 2016	referred to higher education

Votes

- Jun 17, 2016 - Floor Vote
  S7549
  
  62
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  1
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Floor Vote: Jun 17, 2016
      
      aye (62)
      
      Addabbo Jr.
      
      Akshar
      
      Amedore
      
      Avella
      
      Bonacic
      
      Boyle
      
      Breslin
      
      Carlucci
      
      Comrie
      
      Croci
      
      DeFrancisco
      
      Dilan
      
      Espaillat
      
      Farley
      
      Felder
      
      Flanagan
      
      Funke
      
      Gallivan
      
      Gianaris
      
      Golden
      
      Griffo
      
      Hamilton
      
      Hannon
      
      Hassell-Thompson
      
      Hoylman-Sigal
      
      Kaminsky
      
      Kennedy
      
      Klein
      
      Krueger
      
      LaValle
      
      Lanza
      
      Larkin
      
      Latimer
      
      Little
      
      Marcellino
      
      Marchione
      
      Martins
      
      Montgomery
      
      Murphy
      
      Nozzolio
      
      O'Mara
      
      Ortt
      
      Panepinto
      
      Parker
      
      Peralta
      
      Perkins
      
      Persaud
      
      Ranzenhofer
      
      Ritchie
      
      Rivera
      
      Robach
      
      Sanders Jr.
      
      Savino
      
      Serino
      
      Serrano
      
      Seward
      
      Squadron
      
      Stavisky
      
      Stewart-Cousins
      
      Valesky
      
      Venditto
      
      Young
      
      excused (1)
      
      Diaz
  Jun 1, 2016 - Rules Committee Vote
  S7549
  
  24
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Rules Committee Vote: Jun 1, 2016
      
      aye (24)
      
      Bonacic
      
      Breslin
      
      Carlucci
      
      DeFrancisco
      
      Dilan
      
      Espaillat
      
      Farley
      
      Flanagan
      
      Gianaris
      
      Hannon
      
      Hassell-Thompson
      
      Krueger
      
      LaValle
      
      Lanza
      
      Larkin
      
      Little
      
      Marcellino
      
      Montgomery
      
      Nozzolio
      
      Parker
      
      Robach
      
      Seward
      
      Stewart-Cousins
      
      Valesky
      
      aye wr (1)
      
      Perkins
  May 17, 2016 - Higher Education Committee Vote
  S7549
  
  14
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  3
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  2
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Higher Education Committee Vote: May 17, 2016
      
      aye (14)
      
      Croci
      
      Espaillat
      
      Funke
      
      Gallivan
      
      LaValle
      
      Ortt
      
      Parker
      
      Peralta
      
      Ritchie
      
      Robach
      
      Serino
      
      Stavisky
      
      Valesky
      
      Venditto
      
      aye wr (3)
      
      Griffo
      
      Krueger
      
      Rivera
      
      excused (2)
      
      Breslin
      
      Seward

2015-S7549 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Assembly Higher Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §669-h, Ed L
Versions Introduced in 2017-2018 Legislative Session:: S2550

2015-S7549 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes the New York state educating leaders for excellence in community transformation program to provide loan forgiveness and scholarship awards to certain students who demonstrate excellence in student government, civic organizations, or through campus or community leadership activities.

2015-S7549 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S7549

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
establishing the New York state educating leaders for excellence in
community transformation program

 PURPOSE :

To establish NY-ELECTS, providing loan forgiveness or scholarship
awards to students who demonstrate excellence in student government,
campus or community leadership activities.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1 amends the education law to add a new section 669-h which
provides for the New York State Educating Leaders for Excellence in
Community Transformation Scholarship and Loan Forgiveness Program
(NY-ELECTS).

Subdivision 1 of new section 669-h of the education law provides the
purpose of this program. It is established to provide loan forgiveness
or scholarship awards to students who demonstrate excellence in
student government, civic organizations or through campus community
leadership activities.

Subdivision 2 provides eligibility for this program. To be eligible,

an applicant must have graduated from a New York State high school, be
enrolled in a program of study in a New York State post secondary
institution beginning in the 2014-2015 academic year or after and have
either: (1) been granted an associate's degree within 2 years of
entering the program; (2) been granted an associate's degree within 2
years of having entered the program and have enrolled in a 4-year
institution with the appropriate amount credits to be considered a
junior; or (3) been enrolled in a 4 year degree program and have
successfully completed freshman and sophomore years within 2 years.
An applicant must also have: (1) maintained a 3.0 GPA or above; (2)
been involved in or held leadership positions in student government,
civic clubs or organizations or demonstrated leadership in campus or
community activities as determined by the State Education Department;
and (3) agreed to live and work in New York upon graduation for at
least 2 of the next 5 years. If it is a scholarship award and the
student does not work in New York for 2 of the next 5 years, the
student will agree to have the award converted into a student loan.

Subdivision 3 provides for guidelines for loan forgiveness awards.

Subdivision 4 provides for guidelines for scholarship awards.

Subdivision 5 provides guidelines for how awards are given. Loan
forgiveness or scholarship awards can be granted for the duration of 2
years. The awards must not exceed $6,500 per year and must not exceed
the total cost of student loan debt for a loan forgiveness award. An
award must also not exceed the total cost of tuition at a 4 year
institution within the State University of New York system after any
other state or federal financial aid is applied.

Subdivision 6 allows the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)
to promulgate rules and regulations necessary for implementation of
this section.

Section 2 sets for the effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

NY-ELECTS identifies students who have demonstrated excellence in
student government, civic clubs or organizations and campus or
community leadership activities as future leaders of New York State.
The program offers loan repayment and scholarship award options to
students who commit to working in New York State after graduation in
the hopes that their interest in their communities will carry on past
their years as students. Providing loan forgiveness or scholarships
will alleviate the financial burden associated with attaining a degree
for outstanding student leaders and will encourage students to become
civically engaged young adults who positively impact their
communities.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

$10 million in the first year of implementation.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
Immediately.

2015-S7549 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                  7549

                            I N  S E N A T E

                               May 9, 2016
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. LAVALLE -- 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  educating leaders for excellence in community transforma-
  tion 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 669-h
to read as follows:
  S 669-H. NEW YORK STATE EDUCATING LEADERS FOR EXCELLENCE IN  COMMUNITY
TRANSFORMATION  (NY-ELECTS).  1.  PURPOSE.  THE NEW YORK STATE EDUCATING
LEADERS FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION  (NY-ELECTS)  PROGRAM
IS  HEREBY ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE LOAN FORGIVENESS OR SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
TO STUDENTS WHO DEMONSTRATE  EXCELLENCE  IN  STUDENT  GOVERNMENT,  CIVIC
ORGANIZATIONS, OR THROUGH CAMPUS OR COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES.
  2.  ELIGIBILITY.  A. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH AWARDS, AN APPLICANT MUST
HAVE GRADUATED FROM A NEW YORK STATE  HIGH  SCHOOL,  BE  ENROLLED  IN  A
PROGRAM  OF  STUDY IN A NEW YORK STATE POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION BEGIN-
NING IN THE TWO THOUSAND FOURTEEN-TWO THOUSAND FIFTEEN ACADEMIC YEAR  OR
THEREAFTER, AND HAVE EITHER:
  (I)  BEEN  GRANTED  AN  ASSOCIATE'S  DEGREE WITHIN TWO YEARS OF HAVING
ENTERED THE PROGRAM;
  (II) BEEN GRANTED AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE WITHIN  TWO  YEARS  OF  HAVING
ENTERED  THE  PROGRAM  AND HAVE ENROLLED IN A FOUR YEAR INSTITUTION WITH
THE EQUIVALENT NUMBER OF TRANSFERABLE CREDITS TO BE CONSIDERED  ENTERING
SUCH PROGRAM DESIGNATED AS A JUNIOR; OR
  (III)  BEEN  ENROLLED IN A FOUR YEAR DEGREE PROGRAM, AND HAVE SUCCESS-
FULLY COMPLETED FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEARS WITHIN TWO YEARS.
  B. AN APPLICANT MUST ALSO HAVE:
  (I) MAINTAINED A 3.0 GRADE POINT AVERAGE OR ABOVE;
  (II) BEEN INVOLVED IN OR HELD LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN STUDENT  GOVERN-
MENT, CIVIC CLUBS OR ORGANIZATIONS, OR DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP IN CAMPUS
OR COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES, AS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT; AND

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD14092-01-6

S. 7549                             2

  (III) AGREED TO LIVE AND WORK IN NEW YORK STATE UPON GRADUATION FOR AT
LEAST  TWO  OF  THE  NEXT  FIVE YEARS, AND IF THE AWARD IS A SCHOLARSHIP
AWARD, AGREE TO HAVE SUCH AWARD CONVERTED INTO A STUDENT  LOAN  IF  SUCH
APPLICANT FAILS TO FULFILL THIS REQUIREMENT.
  3.  LOAN FORGIVENESS AWARDS. A QUALIFYING APPLICANT MAY FILE AN APPLI-
CATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR A LOAN FORGIVENESS AWARD IF  SUCH  APPLI-
CANT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF PARAGRAPH A AND PARA-
GRAPH B OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
  4.  SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS. A QUALIFYING APPLICANT MAY FILE AN APPLICATION
WITH THE DEPARTMENT IF SUCH APPLICANT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBPARA-
GRAPHS (II) AND (III) OF PARAGRAPH A AND PARAGRAPH B OF SUBDIVISION  TWO
OF THIS SECTION.
  5.  AWARDS.  WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED THEREFOR, THE PRESIDENT SHALL
GRANT LOAN FORGIVENESS OR SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS TO ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS  FOR
THE  DURATION  OF  TWO  YEARS. SUCH AWARDS SHALL NOT EXCEED SIX THOUSAND
FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS PER YEAR; AND SHALL NOT EXCEED THE  TOTAL  COST  OF
STUDENT  LOAN DEBT FOR A LOAN FORGIVENESS AWARD, OR SHALL NOT EXCEED THE
TOTAL COST OF TUITION AT  A  FOUR  YEAR  INSTITUTION  WITHIN  THE  STATE
UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK SYSTEM AFTER ANY OTHER STATE OR FEDERAL FINANCIAL
AID IS APPLIED.
  6.  RULES. THE CORPORATION IS AUTHORIZED TO PROMULGATE RULES AND REGU-
LATIONS, AND MAY PROMULGATE EMERGENCY  REGULATIONS,  NECESSARY  FOR  THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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