Assembly BillIntroduced
A 8955: Renames an office of addiction services and supports scholarship program the "NYS Father Peter Young Memorial Addiction Professionals Scholarship Program"; codifies the purposes of such program as offering financial education assistance to individuals pursuing a bachelor's degree in addiction studies or the education requirements for an office of addiction services and supports credential at Alfred State College, Stony Brook University or Empire State University.
What A 8955 does, verified January 8, 2026
The proposed legislation aims to rename an office of addiction services and supports scholarship program in New York State. The office will administer a scholarship program called the "NYS Father Peter Young Memorial Addiction Professionals Scholarship Program". This program will offer financial education assistance to individuals pursuing a bachelor's degree in addiction studies or the education requirements for an office of addiction services and supports credential at specified universities. The program will use funds provided by the governor and may receive assistance from the University of the State of New York. The scholarship program will continue existing programs under the office's leadership and the commissioner will promulgate necessary rules and regulations for its implementation. The act will take effect thirty days after its passage.
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: referred to alcoholism and drug abuse (2026-01-07)Alert me
Quick answers about A 8955
- What is the current status of A 8955?
- As of January 8, 2026, A 8955 is recorded as "Introduced": it has been introduced and is waiting for its first committee hearing or floor vote. The last recorded action, on January 7, 2026, was "referred to alcoholism and drug abuse".
- Did A 8955 pass?
- Not yet. A 8955 has been introduced and has not passed either house.
- Who wrote A 8955, and where is it now?
- A 8955 was authored by Asm. John McDonald. Its committee of record is Assembly Alcoholism & Drug Abuse.
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions2 total · showing 2
| Jan. 07, 2026 | referred to alcoholism and drug abuse |
| Jul. 18, 2025 | referred to alcoholism and drug abuse |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, July 18, 2025 · 371 words
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8955 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY July 18, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. McDONALD -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to renaming an office of addiction services and supports scholarship program the "NYS Father Peter Young Memorial Addiction Professionals Scholarship Program" The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 19.07 of the mental hygiene law is amended by 2 adding a new subdivision (o) to read as follows: 3 (o) The office shall administer a scholarship program to be named the 4 "NYS Father Peter Young Memorial Addiction Professionals Scholarship 5 Program". Such program shall offer financial education assistance to 6 individuals pursuing a bachelor's degree in addiction studies or the 7 education requirements for an office of addiction services and supports 8 credential at Alfred State College, Stony Brook University or Empire 9 State University. Such program shall use such funds as shall be provided 10 by the governor for the purposes under this subdivision. The commission- 11 er shall be authorized to seek and receive any assistance deemed neces- 12 sary by the commissioner from the University of the State of New York in 13 the administration of such program. Such program shall operate as a 14 continuation of any program operating under the leadership of the office 15 for the same purpose in existence upon the effective date of this subdi- 16 vision. The commissioner shall be authorized to promulgate any rules 17 and/or regulations necessary for the implementation of this subdivision. 18 § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall 19 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or 20 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of 21 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed 22 on or before such effective date. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD04763-01-5
Text of A 8955 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions