S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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10689
I N A S S E M B L Y
July 1, 2020
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Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Thiele) --
read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the
New York state COVID-19 heroes loan forgiveness program
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section
903-a to read as follows:
§ 903-A. NEW YORK STATE COVID-19 HEROES LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM. 1.
PURPOSE. THE COMMISSIONER, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF
EDUCATION, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES CORPO-
RATION, IS AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO ESTABLISH A NEW YORK STATE COVID-
19 HEROES LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM.
2. ELIGIBILITY. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION,
APPLICANTS SHALL:
(A) BE A PHYSICIAN OR A PROFESSIONAL OR PRACTICAL NURSE, NURSE PRACTI-
TIONER, OR CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT OR SPECIALIST
ASSISTANT IN NEW YORK STATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS SIXTY-FIVE
HUNDRED TWENTY-FOUR, SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED FIVE, SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED SIX,
SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED TEN AND SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED ELEVEN, AND SIXTY-FIVE
HUNDRED FORTY-ONE AND SIXTY-FIVE HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT OF THE EDUCATION
LAW; OR
(B) BE A CERTIFIED FIRST RESPONDER, EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN, OR
ADVANCED EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN, AS DEFINED PURSUANT TO SECTION
THREE THOUSAND ONE OF THIS CHAPTER; OR
(C) BE AN ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OR VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE WORKER
IN NEW YORK STATE, AS DEFINED PURSUANT TO SECTIONS TWO HUNDRED FIFTEEN
AND TWO HUNDRED NINETEEN-C OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW; AND
(D) BE A RESIDENT OF NEW YORK STATE AND HAVE SERVED IN SUCH CAPACITY
IN NEW YORK STATE IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMER-
GENCY, PURSUANT TO EXECUTIVE ORDER 202, ISSUED BY THE GOVERNOR ON MARCH
SEVENTH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY.
3. AWARDS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL GRANT AWARDS PURSUANT TO THE AMOUNT
APPROPRIATED FOR SUCH PURPOSE AND BASED ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS IN AN
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16804-02-0
A. 10689 2
AMOUNT UP TO ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO MEET THE
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION, PROVIDED
THAT LOAN REPAYMENT AWARDS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL QUALIFYING
OUTSTANDING DEBT FROM STUDENT LOANS TO COVER TUITION AND OTHER RELATED
EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES, MADE BY OR GUARANTEED BY THE FEDERAL OR STATE
GOVERNMENT, OR MADE BY A LENDING OR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION APPROVED
UNDER TITLE IV OF THE FEDERAL HIGHER EDUCATION ACT. LOAN REPAYMENT
AWARDS SHALL BE USED SOLELY TO REPAY SUCH OUTSTANDING DEBT.
4. RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED TO PROMULGATE
RULES AND REGULATIONS AND MAY PROMULGATE EMERGENCY REGULATIONS NECESSARY
FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law.