Establishes an emergency aid grant matching program to provide matching funds to campuses of the state university of New York and the city university of New York for the provision of emergency aid grants to eligible students.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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4884
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 13, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. GOUNARDES -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing an emer-
gency aid grant matching program
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. Emergency aid grant matching program. 1. Definitions. As used
4 in this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
5 (a) "Emergency aid grant" shall mean a grant provided to a student
6 attending an institution of higher education in New York state and
7 determined to be eligible for such grant by such institution, who due to
8 unexpected or unforeseen events requires financial assistance for
9 expenses which may include, but are not limited to, groceries, clothing,
10 housing, course materials, technology, transportation, medical expenses,
11 and child care. An emergency aid grant shall not be used to pay
12 outstanding tuition or fees or in the repayment of student loans.
13 (b) "Emergency aid grant matching program" shall mean the program
14 established by the corporation pursuant to subdivision two of this
15 section to provide matching funds to campuses of the state university of
16 New York and the city university of New York for the provision of emer-
17 gency aid grants to eligible students.
18 (c) "Campus emergency aid grant program" shall mean any program at a
19 campus of the state university of New York or the city university of New
20 York that provides emergency aid grants to eligible students.
21 2. (a) The corporation, when monies have been appropriated by the
22 legislature or are otherwise available therefor, shall establish an
23 emergency aid grant matching program to match emergency aid grants
24 provided by campuses of the state university of New York and the city
25 university of New York.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08508-01-5
S. 4884 2
1 (b) The corporation may provide matching grants of up to twelve
2 hundred fifty dollars per student and up to sixty-two thousand five
3 hundred dollars in total matching grants per campus per academic year;
4 provided, however, that campuses funding emergency aid grants at a rate
5 of more than twelve hundred and fifty dollars per student may be eligi-
6 ble for the maximum matching grant per student pursuant to this section.
7 In addition to eligible uses for an emergency aid grant pursuant to
8 paragraph (a) of subdivision one of this section, the corporation shall
9 be authorized to stipulate additional eligible uses for such grant, as
10 such corporation deems appropriate.
11 (c) Campuses may apply for emergency aid grants pursuant to this
12 section to match funds provided by an existing campus emergency aid
13 grant program; provided, however, such campus emergency aid grant
14 program meets or is modified to meet the requirements established by the
15 corporation to receive such matching funds, or after the creation of a
16 campus emergency aid grant program that meets the requirements estab-
17 lished by the corporation to receive such matching funds. Campuses
18 applying for grants pursuant to this section may establish requirements
19 for students to be eligible to receive emergency aid grants through a
20 campus emergency aid grant program; provided, however, that such
21 requirements do not conflict with the requirements established by the
22 corporation to receive matching funds.
23 3. The corporation shall establish an application process for the
24 emergency aid grant matching program established pursuant to subdivision
25 two of this section and may establish requirements, as such corporation
26 deems necessary for campuses of the state university of New York and the
27 city university of New York to access matching funds pursuant to such
28 emergency aid grant matching program; provided, however, that:
29 (a) emergency aid grants shall not be used to reimburse any outstand-
30 ing tuition or fees owed to the state university of New York or the city
31 university of New York;
32 (b) emergency aid grants shall not be treated as income for the
33 purposes of calculating financial aid offers or awards or when determin-
34 ing any expected student and/or family contribution; and
35 (c) campuses demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the corporation, that
36 in addition to or as a component of a campus emergency aid grant
37 program, such campus has sufficient resources and services available to
38 support students experiencing financial distress as a result of unex-
39 pected or unforeseen events.
40 4. (a) Each campus of the state university of New York and the city
41 university of New York receiving matching funds pursuant to the emergen-
42 cy aid grant matching program established pursuant to subdivision two of
43 this section shall compile and submit an annual report to the corpo-
44 ration which shall include:
45 (i) the number of students receiving funds through such campus emer-
46 gency aid grant program;
47 (ii) the average dollar amount provided to each student pursuant to
48 such emergency aid grant matching program; and
49 (iii) the percentage of students who received emergency aid funds
50 during the previous academic year and are still enrolled or have
51 successfully completed such students' degree program at the state
52 university of New York or city university of New York.
53 (b) No later than ninety days after the corporation receives such
54 information from participating campuses as required pursuant to para-
55 graph (a) of this subdivision, the corporation shall compile such infor-
S. 4884 3
1 mation and any other information as such corporation deems necessary and
2 publish an annual report on the corporation's website.
3 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to the
4 academic year next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a
5 law.
