New York S 3531: Creates a volunteer firefighter scholarship program and a volunteer firefighter scholarship fund; appropriation

Bill Text

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 Speaker Carl E. Heastie

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S03531 Summary:

BILL NOS03531 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A10031

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SPONSORORTT

&nbsp

COSPNSRBORRELLO, GALLIVAN

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add §669-i, Ed L; add §91-e, St Fin L

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Creates a volunteer firefighter scholarship program and a volunteer firefighter scholarship fund; rewards volunteer firefighters who respond to twenty-five percent of emergency calls for eight years with a student loan award equal to four times the SUNY tuition rate; makes an appropriation therefor.

Go to top S03531 Actions:

BILL NOS03531 

&nbsp

01/28/2025REFERRED TO FINANCE

01/07/2026REFERRED TO FINANCE

Go to topS03531 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS03531 Floor&nbspVotes:

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

Go to topS03531 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 3531

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 January 28, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. ORTT -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance

 AN ACT to amend the education law and the state finance law, in relation
 to creating a volunteer firefighter scholarship program and a volun-
 teer fire fighter scholarship fund; and making an appropriation relat-
 ing therefor

 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 firefighter scholarship program. 1. Eligibility.
 4 (a) A volunteer firefighter scholarship award shall be made to an appli-
 5 cant who:
 6 (i) serves as an active volunteer firefighter as defined in subdivi-
 7 sion one of section two hundred fifteen of the general municipal law who
 8 has attended twenty-five percent of emergency calls for each year; and
 9 (ii) complies with the applicable provisions of this article and all
 10 requirements promulgated by the office of higher education, hereinafter
 11 referred to as the "office", for the administration of the program.
 12 (b) Student loans eligible for this program are:
 13 (i) student loans accrued while attending a private or public institu-
 14 tion of higher education within New York state from which the recipient
 15 received credits which were used to acquire a bachelor's degree at an
 16 approved program; or
 17 (ii) student loans accrued while attending an accredited trade school
 18 or vocational program within New York state from which the recipient
 19 received a certificate or license.
 20 2. Amount. Within amounts appropriated therefor and based on avail-
 21 ability of funds, awards shall be granted to applicants that the office
 22 has determined are eligible to receive such awards. The office shall
 23 grant such awards in an amount up to four times the current tuition rate

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD07062-01-5

 S. 3531 2

 1 at a state university of New York college. Upon notification of an award
 2 under this program, the office shall pay the interest on the recipient's
 3 student loans for eight years and, upon the completion of the program's
 4 requirements, any remaining student loan interest and principal up to
 5 four times the current tuition rate at a state university of New York
 6 college. If the amount of the recipient's remaining student loan inter-
 7 est and principal is less than four times the current tuition rate at a
 8 state university of New York college at the end of the program, an
 9 amount equal to the difference between (a) four times the current
 10 tuition rate at a state university of New York college or the initial
 11 principal on the recipient's student loans, whichever is less, and (b)
 12 the amount of principal and interest paid at the end of the program
 13 shall be issued to the recipient. In the event that a recipient fails to
 14 maintain eligibility in the program, no further payments shall be made
 15 until the recipient again becomes eligible for the program.
 16 3. Conditions. (a) A recipient shall agree to reside exclusively in
 17 New York state and shall not be employed in any other state, for eight
 18 years.
 19 (b) A recipient shall be an active volunteer firefighter as define