A 2052: Relates to providing loan forgiveness for agriculture educators who provide didactic instruction to students about agriculture, food, and natural resources.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2052 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY January 14, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. MAHER, E. BROWN, DeSTEFANO, LEMONDES, BRABENEC, McDONOUGH, HAWLEY, BENDETT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to providing loan forgiveness for agriculture educators The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 679-k 2 to read as follows: 3 § 679-k. New York state agriculture educators loan forgiveness incen- 4 tive program. 1. Definition. The term "agriculture educator" means an 5 instructor who provides didactic instruction to students about agricul- 6 ture, food and natural resources delivered through lessons in science, 7 communications, leadership, management and technology. 8 2. Purpose. The president shall grant student loan forgiveness awards 9 for the purpose of alleviating the burden of student loan debt for agri- 10 culture educators teaching in the field of agriculture education in New 11 York state. Such awards shall be made on a competitive basis as promul- 12 gated by the corporation for such purposes, to applicants who meet the 13 eligibility criteria. Such rules and regulations shall include 14 provisions for the consideration of applicants who are economically 15 disadvantaged. 16 3. Eligibility. To be eligible for an award pursuant to this section, 17 applicants shall: 18 (a) have graduated and obtained a degree from an approved New York 19 state college or university; 20 (b) have an outstanding student loan debt from obtaining such degree; 21 (c) be employed as a full-time agriculture educator in New York state 22 for at least two years; 23 (d) reside in New York state for at least two years post graduation; 24 (e) apply for this program within two years of college graduation; and EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD04847-01-5 
 A. 2052 2 1 (f) comply with subdivision five of section six hundred sixty-one of 2 this part. 3 4. Awards. The corporation shall grant such awards within amounts 4 appropriated for such purposes and based on the availability of funds. 5 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 6 have become a law.