Provides a deduction in determining personal income tax for the cost of textbooks at a New York private or public college or university by a taxpayer or such taxpayer's eligible dependent; defines "eligible dependent" and "qualified education expenses".
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6079
SPONSOR: Levenberg TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the tax law, in relation to providing a deduction in
determining personal income tax for the cost of textbooks at New York
public and private colleges and universities
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this legislation is to enable qualified taxpayers to
receive an income tax deduction for the cost of textbooks they have
purchased at public and private colleges and universities in New York
State.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. A new subsection (y) is added to section 612 of the Tax Law,
titled, "Qualified Textbook Expenses". (1) Defines 'Eligible Dependent'
and 'Qualified Education Expenses'. (2) Provides that a qualified
taxpayer may subtract from their federal adjusted gross income the cost
of textbooks.
Section 2. Establishes the effective date.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
Not applicable at this time.
JUSTIFICATION:
The cost of college textbooks in New York State has increased dras-
tically over the past several years. These costs, coupled with the
rising tuition costs at colleges and universities have made it extremely
difficult for working New Yorkers to bear the enormous financial burden
of educating their children.
A study conducted by Senator Charles Schumer found that the typical
freshman and sophomore in New York based colleges or universities spend
an average of $922 on required textbooks during the academic year.
Senator Schumer has proposed allowing students and parents to deduct up
to $1,000 for costs incurred while purchasing textbooks from their
federal income taxes.
This bill would enable taxpayers to get a deduction on their income
taxes for money expended for textbook purchases, thereby helping to ease
the financial burden associated with education costs.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.2907 of 2023/2024 * A. 6726 of 2021/2022 * A. 3884 of 2019/2020 A.1591
of 2017/2018 * A. 1575 of 2015/2016 * A. 1316 of 2013/2014 A.6796 of
2011/2012 * A. 1610 of 2009/2010 * A. 8941 of 2007/2008 A.11494 of
2005/2006 * A. 9771 of 2003/2004
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Any fiscal implication associated with the passage of this legislation
are yet to be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the 1st of January next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6079
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 26, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. LEVENBERG, LUPARDO, EACHUS -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
AN ACT to amend the tax law, in relation to providing a deduction in
determining personal income tax for the cost of textbooks at New York
public and private colleges and universities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 612 of the tax law is amended by adding a new
2 subsection (y) to read as follows:
3 (y) Qualified textbook expenses. (1) For purposes of this section:
4 (A) "Eligible dependent" shall mean any individual who is a dependent
5 of the taxpayer with respect to whom an exemption is allowed under
6 section one hundred fifty-two of the internal revenue code.
7 (B) "Qualified education expenses" shall mean expenses incurred for
8 textbooks for a qualified taxpayer or for an eligible dependent at a
9 public or private college or university in this state.
10 (2) For taxable years beginning on or after January first, two thou-
11 sand twenty-six, a qualified taxpayer shall be entitled to subtract from
12 their federal adjusted gross income the cost of such taxpayer's own
13 textbooks or the cost of an eligible dependent's textbooks at a college
14 or university of the state or city university, and a private college or
15 university.
16 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
17 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08381-01-5
