S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2921
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 28, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. ROZIC, COOK, HEVESI, JAFFEE, MOSLEY, SANTABARBARA
   --  Multi-Sponsored  by  --  M.  of  A. ABBATE, SIMON -- read once and
   referred to the Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the  empire  engineers
   initiative act

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. This act shall be known and may be  cited  as  "the  empire
 engineers initiative act".
   §  2.  The  education  law is amended by adding a new section 679-k to
 read as follows:
   § 679-K.  NEW  YORK  STATE  ENGINEERS  LOAN  FORGIVENESS  PROGRAM.  1.
 PURPOSE.  THE  PRESIDENT SHALL GRANT STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS AWARDS FOR
 THE PURPOSE OF INCREASING THE NUMBER OF ENGINEERS SERVING  IN  NEW  YORK
 CITY AND THE REST OF THE STATE.
   2.  ELIGIBILITY. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION,
 APPLICANTS SHALL (A) HAVE RECEIVED  A  DEGREE  IN  ENGINEERING  FROM  AN
 ACCREDITED COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY; (B) COMPLY WITH SUBDIVISIONS THREE AND
 FIVE  OF  SECTION  SIX  HUNDRED  SIXTY-ONE  OF  THIS  PART;  (C) HAVE AN
 OUTSTANDING STUDENT LOAN DEBT; AND (D) ENTER INTO A  CONTRACT  WITH  THE
 CORPORATION TO PERFORM ENGINEERING SERVICES WITHIN THE STATE.
   3.  AWARDS.  THE  CORPORATION SHALL GRANT AWARDS IN AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO
 FIFTY PERCENT OF THE TOTAL TUITION CHARGED TO THE STUDENT BY ALL SCHOOLS
 OR FIFTY PERCENT OF THE  TOTAL  TUITION  CHARGED  TO  A  STATE  RESIDENT
 STUDENT  ATTENDING AN ENGINEERING PROGRAM AT THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW
 YORK, WHICHEVER IS LESS PRIOR TO THE APPLICATION  OF  ANY  SCHOLARSHIPS,
 GRANTS,  OR  OTHER  FINANCIAL AWARDS. AWARDS SHALL BE WITHIN THE AMOUNTS
 APPROPRIATED FOR SUCH PURPOSE AND BASED ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.
   4. CONVERSION. THE CORPORATION SHALL CONVERT TO  A  STUDENT  LOAN  THE
 FULL  AMOUNT OF THE AWARD GIVEN PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, PLUS INTEREST,
 ACCORDING TO A SCHEDULE TO BE DETERMINED BY THE CORPORATION IF:  (A)  AT
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD00806-01-9

 A. 2921                             2
 
 ANY POINT IN THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD AFTER RECEIPT OF SUCH AWARD THE RECIP-
 IENT  IS  NOT  EMPLOYED AS AN ENGINEER LOCATED WITHIN NEW YORK STATE; OR
 (B) A RECIPIENT FAILS TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS BY THE CORPORATION  REGARD-
 ING HIS OR HER PROFESSIONAL STATUS.
   5.  RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE CORPORATION IS AUTHORIZED TO PROMULGATE
 RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS
 OF THIS SECTION, INCLUDING A METHOD  FOR  DETERMINING  THE  PRIORITY  IN
 WHICH  AWARDS ARE DISTRIBUTED. WHEN DETERMINING RULES CONCERNING PRIORI-
 TY, THE CORPORATION SHALL TAKE SUCH ACTION TO ENSURE THAT THE INTENT  OF
 THIS  SECTION IS FULFILLED, AND SHALL GIVE PREFERENCE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO
 RECEIVED THEIR DEGREE FROM A NEW YORK BASED COLLEGE  OR  UNIVERSITY.  IN
 THE EVENT THAT THERE ARE MORE APPLICANTS WHO HAVE THE SAME PRIORITY THAN
 THERE  ARE REMAINING AWARDS, THE CORPORATION SHALL PROVIDE IN REGULATION
 THE METHOD OF DISTRIBUTING THE REMAINING NUMBER OF  SUCH  AWARDS,  WHICH
 MAY INCLUDE A LOTTERY OR OTHER FORM OF RANDOM SELECTION.
   §  3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.