S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  2550--A
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 13, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. LAVALLE, HELMING -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher  Education
   -- recommitted to the Committee on Higher Education in accordance with
   Senate  Rule  6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

 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-i
 to read as follows:
   § 669-I. 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 EIGHTEEN-TWO THOUSAND NINETEEN 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.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD08036-02-8

 S. 2550--A                          2
 
   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
   (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.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.