S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8897
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
December 30, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the New
York state licensed school social worker loan forgiveness 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-k
to read as follows:
§ 679-K. NEW YORK STATE LICENSED SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER LOAN FORGIVENESS
PROGRAM. 1. PURPOSE. THE PRESIDENT SHALL GRANT STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS
AWARDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF INCREASING THE NUMBER OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS
SERVING IN THE STATE.
2. ELIGIBILITY. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVI-
SION, APPLICANTS SHALL (A) BE LICENSED AS A SOCIAL WORKER PURSUANT TO
ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-FOUR OF THIS CHAPTER OR CERTIFIED PURSUANT TO
RULES AND REGULATIONS ESTABLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT; (B) COMPLY WITH
SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SECTION SIX HUNDRED SIXTY-ONE OF THIS PART; AND (C)
HAVE AN OUTSTANDING STUDENT LOAN DEBT.
3. PRIORITY. SUCH AWARDS SHALL BE MADE ANNUALLY TO APPLICANTS IN THE
FOLLOWING PRIORITY:
(A) FIRST PRIORITY SHALL BE GIVEN TO APPLICANTS WHO HAVE RECEIVED
PAYMENT OF AN AWARD PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION IN A PRIOR YEAR AND WHO
HAVE PROVIDED SOCIAL WORK SERVICES IN ELEMENTARY, INTERMEDIATE, MIDDLE,
JUNIOR HIGH OR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE YEAR PRIOR TO SUCH APPLICA-
TION;
(B) SECOND PRIORITY SHALL BE GIVEN TO APPLICANTS WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED
PAYMENT OF AN AWARD PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION IN A PRIOR YEAR AND WHO
HAVE PROVIDED SOCIAL WORK SERVICES IN ELEMENTARY, INTERMEDIATE, MIDDLE,
JUNIOR HIGH OR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE YEAR PRIOR TO SUCH APPLICA-
TION; AND
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14178-01-9
A. 8897 2
(C) THIRD PRIORITY SHALL BE GIVEN TO APPLICANTS WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY
DISADVANTAGED AS DEFINED BY THE CORPORATION.
4. AWARDS. THE CORPORATION SHALL GRANT AWARDS IN THE VALUE OF TEN
THOUSAND DOLLARS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PROVIDED FULL-TIME SOCIAL WORK
SERVICES IN ELEMENTARY, INTERMEDIATE, MIDDLE, JUNIOR HIGH OR SENIOR HIGH
SCHOOLS IN THE YEAR PRIOR TO SUCH APPLICATION, PROVIDED THAT NO RECIPI-
ENT SHALL RECEIVE AN AWARD THAT EXCEEDS THE TOTAL REMAINING BALANCE OF
THE STUDENT LOAN DEBT AND THAT NO RECIPIENT SHALL RECEIVE CUMULATIVE
AWARDS, PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, IN EXCESS OF FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AWARDS SHALL BE WITHIN THE AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED FOR SUCH PURPOSE AND
BASED ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.
5. RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE CORPORATION IS AUTHORIZED TO PROMULGATE
RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS
OF THIS SECTION. IN THE EVENT THAT THERE ARE MORE APPLICANTS WHO HAVE
THE SAME PRIORITY, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION,
THAN THERE ARE REMAINING AWARDS, THE CORPORATION SHALL PROVIDE IN REGU-
LATION THE METHOD OF DISTRIBUTING THE REMAINING NUMBER OF SUCH AWARDS,
WHICH MAY INCLUDE A LOTTERY OR OTHER FORM OF RANDOM SELECTION.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.