Clark, Santabarbara, De Los Santos, Kelles, Bronson
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Add §679-k, Ed L
 
Provides for loan forgiveness for social workers who commit to work in counties with less than two hundred thousand population, or towns which have a population of less than one hundred fifty persons per square mile for the duration of the award.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A8375
SPONSOR: Gunther
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to providing loan
forgiveness for social workers
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To encourage social workers to seek employment in underserved and rural
communities by providing them student loan forgiveness awards.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 679-k.
that authorizes the president to grant student loan forgiveness awards
for the purpose of alleviating the burden of student loan debt for
social workers in New York state.
Section 2 establishes eligibility and identifies the communities where
the program will be in effect.
Section 3 establishes that the awards will be based on the availability
of funds.
 
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
n/a
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Social workers support countless individuals, offering assistance in
hospitals, public clinics and various community settings. In the midst
of a tight labor market affecting nearly every occupation, the shortage
of social workers has emerged as a pressing issue. There are thousands
of social worker job openings going unfilled, especially in the 44 coun-
ties in the State that have populations of less than 200,000 peddler and
the 71 towns in non-rural counties where the population densities are
less than 150 people per square mile. To encourage graduates of approved
NYS colleges and universities to commit to practice in these underserved
communities, The Social Worker Student Loan Incentive Program will grant
student loan forgiveness awards.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
to be determined
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall become
law
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8375
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
December 13, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to providing loan
forgiveness for social workers
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 679-k
2 to read as follows:
3 § 679-k. New York state social worker loan forgiveness incentive
4 program. 1. Purpose. The president shall grant student loan forgiveness
5 awards for the purpose of alleviating the burden of student loan debt
6 for social workers in New York state. Such awards shall be made on a
7 competitive basis as promulgated by the corporation for such purposes,
8 to applicants who meet the eligibility criteria. Such rules and regu-
9 lations shall include provisions for the consideration of applicants who
10 are economically disadvantaged.
11 2. Eligibility. To be eligible for an award pursuant to this section,
12 applicants shall:
13 (a) have graduated and obtained a degree from an approved New York
14 state college or university;
15 (b) have an outstanding student loan debt from obtaining such degree;
16 (c) be employed as a licensed master social worker or licensed clin-
17 ical social worker in New York state in accordance with article one
18 hundred fifty-four of this chapter;
19 (d) apply for this program within two years of college graduation;
20 (e) comply with subdivisions three and five of section six hundred
21 sixty-one of this part; and
22 (f) make a commitment to practice in a county with less than two
23 hundred thousand population, or any town which has a population of less
24 than one hundred fifty persons per square mile for the duration of the
25 award.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13664-01-3
A. 8375 2
1 3. Awards. The corporation shall grant such awards within amounts
2 appropriated for such purposes and based on the availability of funds.
3 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
4 have become a law.