A 5612: Establishes the volunteer firefighters of New York higher education learning plan; provides requirements for eligibility to receive awards under such plan; provides circumstances under which such award will be converted to a student loan.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5612 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY February 18, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. BUTTENSCHON, CRUZ, JACKSON, JONES, SANTABARBARA, SAYEGH, SIMPSON, STERN, STIRPE, WILLIAMS, WOERNER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the volunteer fire- fighters of New York higher education learning plan 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 669-i 2 to read as follows: 3 § 669-i. Volunteer firefighters of New York higher education learning 4 plan. 1. Eligibility. Undergraduate students who are matriculated in an 5 approved undergraduate program at the state university of New York and 6 are members in good standing in one of New York's volunteer fire compa- 7 nies shall be eligible for an award under this section, provided the 8 applicant: (a) signs a contract with the corporation agreeing to work 9 for a New York volunteer fire company on a full-time basis for five 10 years; and (b) complies with the applicable provisions of this article 11 and all requirements promulgated by the corporation for the adminis- 12 tration of the program. 13 2. Within the amounts appropriated therefor, awards shall be granted 14 to applicants that the corporation has certified are eligible to receive 15 such awards. Such awards shall be made to recipients after the success- 16 ful completion of each academic year, as defined by the corporation. 17 3. An award shall entitle the recipient to annual payments for not 18 more than four academic years of full-time undergraduate study. 19 4. Recipients shall receive an annual payment for the successful 20 completion of an academic year, equal to up to one hundred percent of 21 the annual tuition charged to state resident students attending an 22 undergraduate program full-time at the state university of New York, or 23 actual tuition charged, whichever is less. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD09682-01-5 
 A. 5612 2 1 5. The corporation shall convert to a student loan the full amount of 2 the award given pursuant to this section plus interest, according to a 3 schedule to be determined by the corporation if: (a) a recipient fails 4 to complete their course of studies as agreed to with the corporation or 5 is not a member in good standing in a New York volunteer fire company 6 while obtaining such recipient's degree; or (b) two years after the 7 completion of their course of studies as agreed to with the corporation 8 it is found that the recipient is not working for a New York volunteer 9 fire company; or (c) a recipient has not worked for a New York volunteer 10 fire company for five of the seven years after the completion of their 11 course of studies as agreed to with the corporation; or (d) a recipient 12 fails to respond to requests by the Firefighters Association of the 13 State of New York for the status of such recipient's academic or profes- 14 sional progress. 15 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.