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Assembly Bill A6644A

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Relates to degree-granting programs offered by SUNY's office of higher education in prison

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Bill Amendments

2025-A6644 - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S4551
Current Committee:
Assembly Higher Education
Law Section:
Education Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §355-f, Ed L

2025-A6644 - Summary

Creates within SUNY an office of higher education in prison to coordinate access to higher education for individuals during and after incarceration; directs such office to create a plan by 1/1/2029 to establish a degree-granting program in every viable correctional facility in the state; directs such office to enroll at least 2,000 students in degree-granting programs as soon as practicable; makes related provisions.

2025-A6644 - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6644
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 6, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. DILAN -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend  the  education  law,  in  relation  to  degree-granting
   programs offered by SUNY's office of higher education in prison
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 63 to read as follows:
   63. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND/OR REGULATIONS  NECES-
 SARY TO DIRECT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK'S OFFICE OF HIGH-
 ER  EDUCATION IN PRISON TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PLAN WITH THE GOAL OF
 OPERATING A DEGREE-GRANTING PROGRAM IN EVERY CORRECTIONAL  FACILITY,  AS
 DEFINED  BY SECTION TWO OF THE CORRECTION LAW, LOCATED IN THE STATE, AND
 ENROLLING AT LEAST TWO THOUSAND STUDENTS IN SUCH  PROGRAMS,  BY  JANUARY
 FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-NINE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08552-02-5

2025-A6644A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S4551
Current Committee:
Assembly Higher Education
Law Section:
Education Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §355-f, Ed L

2025-A6644A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Creates within SUNY an office of higher education in prison to coordinate access to higher education for individuals during and after incarceration; directs such office to create a plan by 1/1/2029 to establish a degree-granting program in every viable correctional facility in the state; directs such office to enroll at least 2,000 students in degree-granting programs as soon as practicable; makes related provisions.

2025-A6644A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6644--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 6, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. DILAN -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Higher Education -- committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  education  law,  in relation to degree-granting
   programs offered by SUNY's office of higher education in prison

   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 355-f
 to read as follows:
   § 355-F. OFFICE OF HIGHER  EDUCATION  IN  PRISON.  1.  WITHIN  AMOUNTS
 APPROPRIATED THEREFOR, THERE SHALL BE CREATED WITHIN THE STATE UNIVERSI-
 TY  OF NEW YORK AN OFFICE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN PRISON WITH THE PURPOSE
 OF PROMOTING AND COORDINATING ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION FOR INDIVIDUALS
 DURING AND AFTER INCARCERATION IN NEW YORK STATE. SUCH OFFICE SHALL:
   (A) NO LATER THAN JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-NINE, DEVELOP AND
 IMPLEMENT A PLAN, APPROVED BY THE CHANCELLOR OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY  OF
 NEW  YORK  OR  SUCH  CHANCELLOR'S  DESIGNEE,  TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE A
 DEGREE-GRANTING PROGRAM IN EVERY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY,  AS  DEFINED  BY
 SECTION  TWO  OF  THE  CORRECTION  LAW, THAT IS LOCATED IN THE STATE AND
 DETERMINED TO BE VIABLE BY SUCH OFFICE; AND
   (B) ENROLL A TOTAL OF AT LEAST TWO THOUSAND STUDENTS IN  DEGREE-GRANT-
 ING PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED UNDER PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION AS SOON
 AS PRACTICABLE.
   2.  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND COMMUNITY
 SUPERVISION SHALL WORK WITH THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF  NEW  YORK  AND  THE
 OFFICE  OF  HIGHER  EDUCATION IN PRISON TO MAXIMIZE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTU-
 NITIES FOR STUDENTS IN  PROGRAMS  ESTABLISHED  UNDER  PARAGRAPH  (A)  OF
 SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF THIS SECTION, INCLUDING ACCESS TO FEDERAL AND STATE
 FINANCIAL AID.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08552-04-5

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