Senate Bill S6407

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6407

SPONSOR: JACKSON
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to the duration of
tuition assistance awards

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is to extend the duration of tuition assistance
awards to five years. Present law provides for undergraduate students to
generally receive tuition assistance payments ("TAP") for four years of
study. Students who are enrolled in certain approved 5-year undergradu-
ate programs may receive 5 years of TAP assistance.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 adds a new subdivision 1-a to Section 604 of the Education Law
providing that TAP aid be available to students enrolled in approved
programs for 5 academic years in the aggregate.

              

Section 2 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York State funds two programs which provide need-based aid to all
eligible higher education students: TAP, a state-operated financial aid
program for State residents attending approved postsecondary insti-
tutions in New York, and the Supplemental Tuition Assistance Program
("STAP") providing up to one additional year of aid for educationally
disadvantaged students enrolled in remedial courses.  STAP awards are
determined in the same manner as TAP awards. It is a given fact that the
Legislature has a history of endeavoring to maintain a balanced
relationship between the independent and public sectors of higher educa-
tion. This has been coupled with a desire to make resources available
for providing students with the maximum access in all sectors of higher
education.

In past years, eligibility levels were increased, along with the maximum
awards available to students attending New York's colleges.  However,
there has been no effort to increase the number of years of eligibility
for these very same students.

New factors have evolved during this time, including the lack of class
availability for those students who hope to graduate within the "normal"
four year period. Subsequently, many students have been forced to attend
college for up to five years to obtain their undergraduate degree. Many
students who need to work to support themselves are also forced to
reduce their coursework, also prolonging their college years. New York
needs to factor these circumstances into the equation when allocating
TAP assistance.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023-2024: S.4963 - Referred to Higher Education

2021-2022: S.4465 - Referred to Higher Education/A.6525 - Referred to
Higher Education
2019-2020: S.143 Referred to Higher Education

2017-2018: S.1722 - Referred to Higher Education/A.1227 - Referred to
Higher Education

2015-2016: S.1224 - Referred to Higher Education/A.265 - Referred to
Higher Education

2013-2014: S.6844 - Referred to Higher Education/A.2502 - Referred to
Higher Education

 
STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date
on which it shall have become a law.