New York State Assembly

 
•  Summary 
 
•  Actions 
 
•  Committee Votes 
 
•  Floor Votes 
 
•  Memo 
 
•  Text 

A02915 Summary:

A02915 Actions:

A02915 Floor Votes:

A02915 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
 submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)



 
BILL NUMBER: A2915
 
SPONSOR: Pretlow

 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
general and academic performance awards, student loans and tuition
assistance program awards
 
 
PURPOSE:  To require HESC to respond within a certain time period re
student awards
 
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:  Adds a new subdivision 8 to S665 of the educa-
tion law.
 
 
JUSTIFICATION:  The Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) was
established by the Legislature to have central responsibility for the

proper administration and oversight of financial aid. While HESC is
empowered to determine the initial eligibility of a student for finan-
cial assistance, it does not always make timely eligibility determi-
nations. This creates unnecessary delays and uncertainty for both
students and the institutions they are scheduled to attend.  Further-
more, HESC has in the past retroactively disallowed financial aid it has
already certified, thereby obliging students or, more likely, insti-
tutions, to repay financial awards. This practice results in hardships
for the student and/or the institutions.
 
This bill directs HESC to make an initial determination of financial
eligibility within sixty days of the receipt of the financial aid appli-
cation from the student. If HESC fails to make its determination within
the allotted time, the student shall be deemed eligible to receive aid
for the semester for which the application was made; provided, however,

that HESC is allowed a 30 day extension to make its determination if it
notifies the institution in writing that it needs additional time to
examine the case of a particular student.  Such notification must be
made before the expiration of the original 60 day time period.
 
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  01/30/13 referred to higher education 01/08/14
referred to higher education 06/03/14 reported referred to ways and
means 06/10/14 reported referred to rules 06/11/14 reported 06/11/14
rules report cal.127 06/11/14 ordered to third reading rules cal.127
06/11/14 passed assembly 06/11/14 delivered to senate 06/11/14 REFERRED
TO HIGHER EDUCATION
 
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.
 
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:  The first of July in the second year next succeeding
the year in which it shall have become a law.

A02915 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          2915
 
                               2015-2016 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                    January 20, 2015
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee on Higher Education
 
        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to general  and  academic
          performance  awards,  student  loans  and  tuition  assistance program
          awards
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. Section 665 of the education law is amended by adding a new
     2  subdivision 8 to read as follows:
     3    8.  Timeliness  of  financial aid determinations.  Notwithstanding any
     4  other provision of law, the corporation shall make its determination  of
     5  financial  aid eligibility within sixty days from the day of the receipt
     6  of the completed financial aid application  from  the  student.  In  the
     7  event  that  such  financial aid determination is not made by the corpo-
     8  ration within sixty days after receipt of the  completed  financial  aid
     9  application  from  the student, such student shall be deemed eligible to
    10  receive financial aid for the semester for which the completed financial
    11  aid application is made; provided, however,  that  the  corporation  may
    12  obtain an additional thirty day extension to make its eligibility deter-
    13  mination  upon written notification to the institution within sixty days
    14  that additional time is necessary to examine and  review  the  completed
    15  financial aid application of such student.
    16    §  2.  This  act  shall take effect on the first of July in the second
    17  year next succeeding the year in which it shall have become a law.
 
 
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD05359-01-5