S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4465
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 16, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. EPSTEIN, SEAWRIGHT, CLARK, SIMON, COLTON, JACOB-
   SON, GIBBS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Educa-
   tion
 
 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 1 of part DD of chapter 56 of  the  laws
 of 2021, 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.
              

                                                            LBD08641-01-3