Assembly Bill A306

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    306
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. RAJKUMAR, PHEFFER AMATO -- read once and referred
   to the Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  education law, in relation to granting academic
   credit at state operated institutions of the state university  of  New
   York and the city university of New York to veterans
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 355 of the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 22 to read as follows:
   22. A. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TERM  "VETERAN"  MEANS  A
 PERSON  WHO  SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, MARINES,
 COAST GUARD, AND/OR RESERVES THEREOF, AND/OR IN THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD,
 AIR NATIONAL GUARD, NEW YORK GUARD AND/OR NEW YORK NAVAL MILITIA AND WHO
 (1) HAS RECEIVED AN HONORABLE OR GENERAL DISCHARGE FROM SUCH SERVICE, OR
 (2) HAS A QUALIFYING CONDITION, AS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE OF THE  VETER-
 ANS'  SERVICES  LAW, AND HAS RECEIVED A DISCHARGE OTHER THAN BAD CONDUCT
 OR DISHONORABLE FROM SUCH SERVICE, OR (3) IS A DISCHARGED LGBT  VETERAN,
 AS  DEFINED  IN  SECTION  ONE  OF  THE  VETERANS'  SERVICES LAW, AND HAS
 RECEIVED A DISCHARGE OTHER THAN BAD CONDUCT OR  DISHONORABLE  FROM  SUCH
 SERVICE.
   B. EVERY VETERAN WHO IS ENROLLED ON A FULL-TIME BASIS AS AN UNDERGRAD-
 UATE  STUDENT  IN  GOOD  STANDING,  AT  AN  INSTITUTION WITHIN THE STATE
 UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, SHALL UPON APPLICATION BE  GRANTED  ACADEMIC  CREDITS
 WITHOUT  LIMITATION  TOWARDS THEIR DEGREE FOR COMPLETION OF COURSES THAT
 WERE PART  OF  SUCH  VETERAN'S  MILITARY  TRAINING  OR  SERVICE  IF  THE
 COMPLETED  COURSES  MEET  THE STANDARDS OF THE INSTITUTION AWARDING SUCH
 CREDITS. NO FEE, TUITION OR OTHER CHARGE SHALL  BE  ASSESSED  AGAINST  A
 VETERAN WHO QUALIFIES FOR SUCH CREDIT PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION.
   C.  THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL ADOPT SUCH PROCEDURES AS ARE NECESSARY
 TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD01435-01-5
 A. 306                              2
 
   § 2. Section 6206 of the education law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 24 to read as follows:
   24.  A.  FOR  PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TERM "VETERAN" MEANS A
 PERSON WHO SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY, NAVY, AIR  FORCE,  MARINES,
 COAST GUARD, AND/OR RESERVES THEREOF, AND/OR IN THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD,
 AIR NATIONAL GUARD, NEW YORK GUARD AND/OR NEW YORK NAVAL MILITIA AND WHO
 (1) HAS RECEIVED AN HONORABLE OR GENERAL DISCHARGE FROM SUCH SERVICE, OR
 (2)  HAS A QUALIFYING CONDITION, AS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE OF THE VETER-
 ANS' SERVICES LAW, AND HAS RECEIVED A DISCHARGE OTHER THAN  BAD  CONDUCT
 OR  DISHONORABLE FROM SUCH SERVICE, OR (3) IS A DISCHARGED LGBT VETERAN,
 AS DEFINED IN SECTION  ONE  OF  THE  VETERANS'  SERVICES  LAW,  AND  HAS
 RECEIVED  A  DISCHARGE  OTHER THAN BAD CONDUCT OR DISHONORABLE FROM SUCH
 SERVICE.
   B. EVERY VETERAN WHO IS ENROLLED ON A FULL-TIME BASIS AS AN UNDERGRAD-
 UATE STUDENT IN GOOD STANDING, AT AN INSTITUTION WITHIN THE CITY UNIVER-
 SITY SYSTEM, SHALL UPON APPLICATION BE GRANTED ACADEMIC CREDITS  WITHOUT
 LIMITATION TOWARDS THEIR DEGREE FOR COMPLETION OF COURSES THAT WERE PART
 OF  SUCH VETERAN'S MILITARY TRAINING OR SERVICE IF THE COMPLETED COURSES
 MEET THE STANDARDS OF THE INSTITUTION AWARDING  SUCH  CREDITS.  NO  FEE,
 TUITION  OR  OTHER CHARGE SHALL BE ASSESSED AGAINST A VETERAN WHO QUALI-
 FIES FOR SUCH CREDIT PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION.
   C. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL ADOPT SUCH PROCEDURES AS ARE  NECESSARY
 TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   §  3.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.