New York A 9690: Extends tuition free course benefits to volunteer firefighters or volunteer ambulance workers

Bill Text

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A09690 Summary:

BILL NOA09690 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS S02314

&nbsp

SPONSORCashman

&nbsp

COSPNSR

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Amd §§355 & 6303, Ed L

&nbsp

Extends tuition free course benefits to volunteer firefighters or voluntary ambulance workers; authorizes the board of trustees of the state university to regulate the conferral of such benefits.

Go to top A09690 Actions:

BILL NOA09690 

&nbsp

01/21/2026referred to higher education

Go to topA09690 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA09690 Floor&nbspVotes:

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

Go to topA09690 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 9690

 IN ASSEMBLY

 January 21, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. CASHMAN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
 tee on Higher Education

 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to extending certain
 benefits to active volunteer firefighters and active volunteer ambu-
 lance workers

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

 1 Section 1. Subparagraph 1 of paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section
 2 355 of the education law, as separately amended by chapters 552 and 616
 3 of the laws of 1985, is amended to read as follows:
 4 (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general, special or
 5 local law, rule or regulation, such regulations may permit persons sixty
 6 years of age or over, or residents who serve as active volunteer fire-
 7 fighters as defined in subdivision one of section two hundred fifteen of
 8 the general municipal law, or as active volunteer ambulance workers as
 9 defined in subdivision fourteen of section two hundred nineteen-k of the
 10 general municipal law to audit courses given therein without tuition,
 11 examination, grading or credit therefor upon a space available basis, as
 12 determined by the president of each such institution, provided that such
 13 audit attendance does not deny course attendance at a state-operated
 14 institution by an individual who is otherwise qualified under the regu-
 15 lations promulgated pursuant to this section. The board of trustees of
 16 the state university may prescribe regulations to authorize the granting
 17 of course credit for successful completion of an audited course by an
 18 active volunteer firefighter or an active volunteer ambulance worker.
 19 Pursuant to such regulations, each such institution may, as determined
 20 by its president, award credit for successful completion of such an
 21 audited course by an active volunteer firefighter or an active volunteer
 22 ambulance worker that is currently enrolled as a full-time or part-time
 23 student in such institution or that later becomes enrolled as a full-
 24 time or part-time student in such institution.
 25 § 2. Subdivision 5 of section 6303 of the education law, as amended by
 26 chapter 552 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD05403-02-6

 A. 9690 2

 1 5. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general, special or
 2 local law, rule or regulation, community colleges may permit persons
 3 sixty years of age or over, or residents who serve as active volunteer
 4 firefighters as defined in subdivision one of section two hundred
 5 fifteen of the general municipal law, or as active volunteer ambulance
 6 workers as defined in subdivision fourteen of section two hundred nine-
 7 teen-k of the general municipal law to audit courses given therein with-
 8 out tuition, examination, grading or credit therefor upon a space avail-
 9 able basis, subject to the provisions of section sixty-three hundred
 10 four of this [chapter] article, as determined by the president of each
 11 such institution, provided that such audit attendance does not deny
 12 course attendance at a community college by an individual who is other-
 13 wise qualified under the regulations and the provisions of section
 14 sixty-three hundred four of this [chapter] article. The board of trus-
 15 tees of the state university may prescribe regulations to authorize the
 16 granting of course credit for successful completion of an audited course
 17 by an active volun