S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8520
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             December 13, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. EPSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in  relation  to  tuition  assistance
   program awards for students experiencing homelessness
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. The opening paragraph of item 1 of clause (A)  of  subpara-
 graph  (i)  of paragraph a of subdivision 3 of section 667 of the educa-
 tion law, as amended by section 2 of part X of chapter 56 of the laws of
 2014, is amended to read as follows:
   In the case of students who have not  been  granted  an  exclusion  of
 parental  income, who have qualified as an orphan, foster child, or ward
 of the court for the purposes of federal student financial aid  programs
 authorized  by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended,
 ARE HOMELESS, or had a dependent for income tax purposes during the  tax
 year  next  preceding  the  academic year for which application is made,
 except for those students who have been granted  exclusion  of  parental
 income who have a spouse but no other dependent:
   §  2.  Section  661  of  the  education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 8 to read as follows:
   8. HOMELESS STATUS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND  REGU-
 LATIONS FOR A UNIFORM VERIFICATION METHOD OF A STUDENT'S STATUS AS HOME-
 LESS  TO BE USED FOR ALL AWARDS AND LOANS MADE PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE.
 SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS SHALL UTILIZE THE SAME METHOD OF VERIFICATION
 OF HOMELESSNESS AS FEDERAL STUDENT FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED  BY
 TITLE IV OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT OF 1965, AS AMENDED.
   §  3.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule  or  regulation  necessary
 for  the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized
 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10943-01-1