New York S 2237: Enacts the "fair college admissions act"

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S02237 Summary:

BILL NOS02237 

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SAME ASSAME AS A02125

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SPONSORGOUNARDES

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COSPNSRCLEARE, COMRIE, FERNANDEZ, GONZALEZ, HOYLMAN-SIGAL, JACKSON, LIU, MAY, MYRIE, RAMOS, RYAN C,
 SALAZAR, SANDERS, SEPULVEDA, SERRANO, SKOUFIS

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MLTSPNSR

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Add §239-c, Ed L

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Enacts the "fair college admissions act"; prohibits legacy admissions policies at colleges and universities in New York; declares such policies and practices to be discriminatory and inequitable.

Go to top S02237 Actions:

BILL NOS02237 

&nbsp

01/16/2025REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

01/07/2026REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

Go to topS02237 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS02237 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS02237 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 2237

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 January 16, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sens. GOUNARDES, CLEARE, COMRIE, FERNANDEZ, HOYLMAN-SIGAL,
 JACKSON, MAY, MYRIE, RAMOS, SALAZAR, SANDERS, SEPULVEDA, SKOUFIS --
 read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to
 the Committee on Higher Education

 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to prohibiting legacy
 admission policies at higher education institutions in this state

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 2 the "fair college admissions act".
 3 § 2. Legislative intent. a. The legislature hereby finds that there
 4 are significant income gains associated with postsecondary education
 5 degree attainment, with New York state residents with a bachelor's
 6 degree three times less likely to live in poverty than those with a high
 7 school diploma.
 8 b. The legislature further finds that students who attend and graduate
 9 from a highly selective higher education institution in the state of New
 10 York are much more likely to earn salaries in the top income quintile
 11 than those who graduate from less selective institutions, furthering
 12 economic and social inequality.
 13 c. The legislature further finds that within most highly selective
 14 higher education institutions in New York state, degree completion rates
 15 for students from low-income and working class family backgrounds are
 16 comparable to students from upper-income family backgrounds.
 17 d. The legislature further finds that many four-year higher education
 18 institutions in New York state consider whether a prospective student is
 19 related to alumni as part of the admissions process.
 20 e. The legislature further finds that providing preferential treatment
 21 to students related to alumni of a higher education institution is
 22 discriminatory in nature and disproportionately hurts students who come
 23 from working class and low-income families, have parents who did not

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD00059-02-5

 S. 2237 2

 1 earn a bachelor's degree, are undocumented, are immigrants, and are
 2 members of historically underrepresented minority groups formerly denied
 3 entry into specific higher education institutions either as a matter of
 4 institution policy or the effect of historic underlying law and govern-
 5 ment practices.
 6 f. The legislature further finds that inequitable, unfair admissions
 7 policies and practices such as legacy consideration are a significant
 8 factor behind disparities in college enrollment among students from
 9 historically underserved racial and economic subgroups compared to their
 10 more advantaged peers at selective higher education institutions.
 11 g. The legislature hereby declares that a prohibition on legacy admis-
 12 sion policies at degree-granting colleges and universities in the state
 13 shall further the goals of educational, economic, and social equity,
 14 helping to diversify highly selective institutions while closing
 15 achievement gaps between historically advantaged and disadvantaged
 16 groups, and shall commit to achieving the same with the following
 17 provisions of this act.
 18 § 3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 239-c to
 19 read as foll