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.
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 volunteer firefighter or an active volunteer ambulance
18 worker. Pursuant to such regulations, each such institution may, as
19 determined by its president, award credit for successful completion of
20 such an audited course by an active volunteer firefighter or an active
21 volunteer ambulance worker that is currently enrolled as a full-time or
22 part-time student in such institution or that later becomes enrolled as
23 a full-time or part-time student in such institution. The provisions of
24 this [paragraph] subdivision shall not affect any state aid to community
25 colleges granted pursuant to this article [one hundred twenty-six of
26 this chapter].
27 § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
28 have become a law.
