A06826 Summary:

BILL NOA06826
 
SAME ASNo same as
 
SPONSORBall
 
COSPNSR
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Add Art 14-B SS696 - 696-v, Ed L; add S78-a, St Fin L
 
Enacts the new empire fund act", a prepaid higher education tuition program; establishes a prepaid higher education tuition board; establishes prepaid higher education tuition scholarships for needy students; establishes the new empire fund.
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A06826 Actions:

BILL NOA06826
 
03/13/2009referred to higher education
01/06/2010referred to higher education
05/11/2010held for consideration in higher education
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A06826 Floor Votes:

There are no votes for this bill in this legislative session.
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A06826 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          6826
 
                               2009-2010 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                     March 13, 2009
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  M. of A. BALL -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Higher Education
 
        AN ACT to amend the education law, in  relation  to  enacting  the  "new
          empire  fund  act"; and to amend the state finance law, in relation to
          creating the new empire fund
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-

        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
     2  the "new empire fund act".
     3    § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new article 14-B to read
     4  as follows:
     5                                 ARTICLE 14-B
     6                  PREPAID HIGHER EDUCATION TUITION PROGRAM
     7  Section 696.   Legislative findings.
     8          696-a. Definitions.
     9          696-b. Establishment of board; function.
    10          696-c. Meetings.
    11          696-d. Executive director; staff.
    12          696-e. Program and facility accessibility.
    13          696-f. Public interest information and complaints.
    14          696-g. Powers of board.
    15          696-h. Prepaid higher education tuition program.

    16          696-i. Prepaid tuition contract.
    17          696-j. Beneficiary.
    18          696-k. Types of plans.
    19          696-l. Contract payment.
    20          696-m. Change of beneficiary.
    21          696-n. Conversion to another plan.
    22          696-o. Verification under oath.
    23          696-p. Promise or guarantee of admission.
    24          696-q. Contract termination.
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD06065-01-9

        A. 6826                             2
 
     1          696-r. Refund.

     2          696-s. Prepaid  higher  education tuition scholarships for needy
     3                   students.
     4          696-t. Statement regarding status of prepaid tuition contract.
     5          696-u. Reports.
     6          696-v. Confidentiality.
     7    § 696. Legislative findings. An educated population being necessary to
     8  the social development and economic health of this state,  the  legisla-
     9  ture  finds  and  declares it to be an urgent public necessity to assist
    10  young New Yorkers in obtaining a higher education. Because  the  state's
    11  population  is  rapidly growing and is diverse, the state is required to
    12  use all of the higher education  facilities  and  resources  within  the

    13  state, both public and private, to provide a wide variety of educational
    14  environments  and  instructional options and to preserve the partnership
    15  between the state and private  or  independent  institutions  of  higher
    16  education.  Therefore,  the  prepaid higher education tuition program is
    17  established to help New York students attend the institution  that  best
    18  meets their individual needs.
    19    § 696-a. Definitions. As used in this article:
    20    1.  "Beneficiary"  means  a person who is entitled to receive benefits
    21  under a prepaid tuition contract.
    22    2. "Board" means the prepaid higher education tuition board.
    23    3. "Estimated average private tuition  and  required  fees"  means  an

    24  estimated  average of tuition and required fees to be charged by private
    25  or independent institutions of higher education as  determined  annually
    26  by the board.
    27    4.  "Fund"  means  the new empire fund established in section seventy-
    28  eight-a of the state finance law.
    29    5. "Institution of higher education" means an institution in the state
    30  providing higher education.
    31    6. "Prepaid tuition contract" means a contract entered  into  pursuant
    32  to  this article by the board and a purchaser to provide for the payment
    33  of higher education tuition and required fees of a beneficiary.
    34    7. "Private or independent institution of higher education" shall mean
    35  colleges and universities other than those included  within  subdivision

    36  nine of this section.
    37    8. "Program" means the prepaid higher education tuition program.
    38    9.  "Public  college"  shall  mean  and include "state-operated insti-
    39  tutions", "statutory or contract colleges" and "community  colleges"  as
    40  defined in section three hundred fifty of this chapter.
    41    10. "Purchaser" means a person who is obligated to make payments under
    42  a prepaid tuition contract.
    43    §  696-b.  Establishment  of  board;  function.  1. The prepaid higher
    44  education tuition board is hereby established in the department of audit
    45  and control.
    46    2. The board shall administer the program.
    47    3. The  board  shall  consist  of  the  comptroller  and  six  members
    48  appointed by the governor as follows:

    49    (a)  two members upon recommendation of the temporary president of the
    50  senate;
    51    (b) one member upon recommendation  of  the  minority  leader  of  the
    52  senate;
    53    (c)  two  members  upon recommendation of the speaker of the assembly;
    54  and
    55    (d) one member upon recommendation  of  the  minority  leader  of  the
    56  assembly.

        A. 6826                             3
 
     1    4.  The appointed members must possess knowledge, skill and experience
     2  in higher education, business or finance.
     3    5. The appointed members shall serve for staggered six-year terms. The
     4  terms  of one-third of the appointed members shall expire February first
     5  of each odd-numbered year.

     6    6. In recommending, making or confirming appointments  to  the  board,
     7  the  governor,  speaker  of  the assembly and temporary president of the
     8  senate shall ensure that each appointee has the background  and  experi-
     9  ence  suitable for performing the statutory responsibilities of a member
    10  of the board.
    11    7. Appointments to the board shall be made without regard to the race,
    12  color, disability, sex, religion, age or national origin of the appoint-
    13  ees.
    14    8. A person is not eligible for appointment as a member of  the  board
    15  if the person or the person's spouse:
    16    (a)  is  employed  by  or participates in the management of a business
    17  entity receiving funds from the board;

    18    (b) owns or controls, directly or indirectly, more than a ten  percent
    19  interest in a business entity receiving funds from the board; or
    20    (c)  uses or receives a substantial amount of tangible goods, services
    21  or funds from  the  board,  other  than  compensation  or  reimbursement
    22  authorized by law for board membership, attendance or expenses.
    23    9. It is a ground for removal from the board if a member:
    24    (a)  violates  a  prohibition established by subdivision eight of this
    25  section;
    26    (b) cannot because of illness or  disability  discharge  the  member's
    27  duties  for  a  substantial  part  of  the  term for which the member is
    28  appointed; or
    29    (c) is absent from more than half of  the  regularly  scheduled  board

    30  meetings  that  the  member is eligible to attend during a calendar year
    31  unless the absence is excused by majority vote of the board.
    32    10. The validity of an action of the board shall not  be  affected  by
    33  the  fact that the action was taken when a ground for removal of a board
    34  member existed.
    35    11. Before a member of the board may assume his  or  her  duties,  the
    36  member  must complete at least one course of the training program estab-
    37  lished under subdivision twelve of this section.
    38    12. A training program shall be established to provide instruction  to
    39  the member regarding:
    40    (a) the enabling legislation that created the board;
    41    (b) the programs operated by the board;

    42    (c) the role and functions of the board;
    43    (d)  the rules of the board, with an emphasis on the rules that relate
    44  to disciplinary and investigatory authority;
    45    (e) the current budget for the board; and
    46    (f) the results of the most recent formal audit of the board.
    47    13. (a) The comptroller shall serve as the chairperson of the board.
    48    (b) The board shall appoint a secretary of the board whose duties  may
    49  be prescribed by law and by the board.
    50    14.  Appointed  members of the board shall serve without pay but shall
    51  be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in  attending  meetings
    52  of the board and in performing other work of the board when that work is
    53  approved by the chairperson of the board.

    54    §  696-c. Meetings. 1. The board shall hold regular quarterly meetings
    55  at places and times scheduled by the board in formal sessions and called
    56  by the chairperson of the board.

        A. 6826                             4
 
     1    2. The board shall develop and implement  policies  that  provide  the
     2  public  with  a reasonable opportunity to appear before the board and to
     3  speak on any issue under the jurisdiction of the board.
     4    3.  Minutes  of  all meetings shall be available in the board's office
     5  for public inspection.
     6    § 696-d. Executive director; staff. 1. The comptroller shall serve  as
     7  the executive director of the program.
     8    2.  The  employees  of the department of audit and control selected by

     9  the comptroller for that  purpose  shall  serve  as  the  staff  of  the
    10  program.
    11    3. The comptroller shall select and supervise the staff of the program
    12  and perform other duties delegated to the comptroller by the board.
    13    4.  The  comptroller  shall  provide  to  members  of the board and to
    14  program staff, as often as necessary, information regarding their quali-
    15  fications for office or employment under this article and their  respon-
    16  sibilities  under  applicable  laws relating to standards of conduct for
    17  state officers or employees.
    18    5. The board shall develop and implement policies that  clearly  sepa-
    19  rate  the policy-making responsibilities of the board and the management

    20  responsibilities of the comptroller and the staff of the program.
    21    § 696-e. Program and facility accessibility. 1. The board shall comply
    22  with federal and state laws related to program and facility  accessibil-
    23  ity.
    24    2.  The board shall prepare and maintain a written plan that describes
    25  how a person who does not  speak  English  can  be  provided  reasonable
    26  access to the board's programs and services.
    27    §  696-f.  Public  interest  information  and complaints. 1. The board
    28  shall prepare information of public interest describing the functions of
    29  the board and the board's procedures by which complaints are filed  with
    30  and  resolved  by the board. The board shall make the information avail-

    31  able to the public and appropriate state agencies.
    32    2. The board by rule shall establish methods by  which  consumers  and
    33  service  recipients are notified of the name, mailing address, and tele-
    34  phone number of the board for the purpose of directing complaints to the
    35  board.
    36    3. The board shall keep information about each  complaint  filed  with
    37  the board. The information shall include:
    38    (a) the date the complaint is received;
    39    (b) the name of the complainant;
    40    (c) the subject matter of the complaint;
    41    (d) a record of all persons contacted in relation to the complaint;
    42    (e)  a  summary  of  the results of the review or investigation of the
    43  complaint; and

    44    (f) for complaints for which the board took no action, an  explanation
    45  of the reason the complaint was closed without action.
    46    4.  The  board shall keep a file for each written complaint filed with
    47  the board that the board has  authority  to  resolve.  The  board  shall
    48  provide  to  the person filing the complaint and the persons or entities
    49  complained about the  board's  policies  and  procedures  pertaining  to
    50  complaint  investigation  and  resolution. The board, at least quarterly
    51  and until final disposition of the complaint, shall  notify  the  person
    52  filing the complaint and the persons or entities complained about of the
    53  status of the complaint unless the notice would jeopardize an undercover
    54  investigation.

    55    §  696-g.  Powers  of  board. 1. The board has the powers necessary or
    56  proper to carry out the provisions of this article.

        A. 6826                             5
 
     1    2. The board may:
     2    (a) adopt an official seal;
     3    (b) adopt rules to implement this article;
     4    (c) sue and be sued;
     5    (d) enter into contracts and other necessary instruments;
     6    (e)  enter  into  agreements  or  other  transactions  with the United
     7  States, state agencies,  including  institutions  of  higher  education,
     8  private  or  independent  institutions  of  higher  education, and local
     9  governments;
    10    (f) appear in its own behalf before governmental agencies;

    11    (g) contract for necessary goods and services and engage the  services
    12  of  private  consultants,  actuaries,  trustees, records administrators,
    13  managers, legal counsel and auditors  for  administrative  or  technical
    14  assistance;
    15    (h)  solicit  and  accept gifts, grants, loans, and other aid from any
    16  source or participate in any other way  in  any  government  program  to
    17  carry out this article;
    18    (i) impose administrative fees;
    19    (j) contract with a person to market the program;
    20    (k)  purchase liability insurance covering the board and employees and
    21  agents of the program; and
    22    (l) establish other policies, procedures and eligibility  criteria  to
    23  implement this article.

    24    §  696-h.  Prepaid  higher  education  tuition  program.  1. Under the
    25  program, a purchaser may enter into a prepaid tuition contract with  the
    26  board  under  which  the  purchaser  agrees  to  prepay  the tuition and
    27  required fees for a beneficiary  to  attend  an  institution  of  higher
    28  education or private or independent institution of higher education.
    29    2.  The  board  shall  deposit  the money paid under a prepaid tuition
    30  contract in the fund, invest the money and credit the income  earned  to
    31  the  fund,  and apply money in the fund to the tuition and required fees
    32  of the institution of higher education or private or independent  insti-
    33  tution  of higher education in which the beneficiary enrolls as provided

    34  by the prepaid tuition contract.
    35    3. If the beneficiary of a plan described in section six hundred nine-
    36  ty-six-j of this article enrolls in a private or independent institution
    37  of higher education, the board shall pay the institution the tuition and
    38  required fees the board would have paid had the beneficiary enrolled  in
    39  an  institution  of higher education covered by the plan selected in the
    40  prepaid tuition contract.  The  beneficiary  shall  be  responsible  for
    41  paying  the  private  or independent institution of higher education the
    42  amount by which the tuition and required fees of the institution  exceed
    43  the tuition and required fees paid by the board.
    44    4.  If  there  is  not enough money in the fund to pay the tuition and

    45  required fees of the institution of higher education in which a  benefi-
    46  ciary  enrolls  or  the  appropriate portion of the tuition and required
    47  fees of the private or independent institution of  higher  education  in
    48  which  the  beneficiary  enrolls  as  provided  by  the  prepaid tuition
    49  contract, the legislature may appropriate to the fund the amount  neces-
    50  sary  for the board to pay the applicable amount of tuition and required
    51  fees of the institution.
    52    § 696-i. Prepaid tuition contract. 1. The board may  contract  with  a
    53  purchaser  for the purchaser to prepay the tuition and required fees for
    54  a beneficiary to attend an institution of higher education or private or

    55  independent institution of higher education to which the beneficiary  is
    56  admitted as a student.

        A. 6826                             6
 
     1    2.  The terms of a prepaid tuition contract shall be based on an actu-
     2  arial analysis of:
     3    (a) the rates of increase of:
     4    (i) tuition and required fees at institutions of higher education; or
     5    (ii) estimated average private tuition and required fees;
     6    (b) expected investment returns;
     7    (c) estimated administrative costs; and
     8    (d)  the  period between the date the contract is entered into and the
     9  date the beneficiary is projected to graduate from high school.
    10    3. The board shall adopt a form for prepaid tuition  contracts  to  be

    11  used by the board and purchasers.
    12    4. A prepaid tuition contract shall:
    13    (a)  specify  the  amount  and  number  of  payments required from the
    14  purchaser on behalf of the beneficiary;
    15    (b) specify the terms under which the purchaser shall  make  payments,
    16  including the date on which each payment is due;
    17    (c) specify the consequences of default;
    18    (d)  specify  the  name  and  date  of birth of the beneficiary of the
    19  contract and the terms under which another person may be substituted  as
    20  the beneficiary;
    21    (e) specify the number of credit hours contracted by the purchaser;
    22    (f)  specify the type of plan toward which the contracted credit hours
    23  shall be applied;

    24    (g) contain an assumption of a contractual obligation by the board  to
    25  the  beneficiary  to  provide  for a specified number of credit hours of
    26  undergraduate instruction at  an  institution  of  higher  education  or
    27  private  or  independent  institution of higher education, not to exceed
    28  the typical number of credit hours required for the degree  that  corre-
    29  sponds to the plan purchased on behalf of the beneficiary;
    30    (h)  specify  the  date  the beneficiary is projected to graduate from
    31  high school; and
    32    (i) contain any other provisions  the  board  considers  necessary  or
    33  appropriate.
    34    5.  A  prepaid tuition contract shall not cover the cost of laboratory
    35  fees charged for specific courses.

    36    § 696-j. Beneficiary. 1. The beneficiary of a prepaid tuition contract
    37  must be younger than eighteen years of age at  the  time  the  purchaser
    38  enters into the contract and must be:
    39    (a) a resident of this state at the time the purchaser enters into the
    40  contract; or
    41    (b)  a  nonresident  who is the child of a parent who is a resident of
    42  this state at the time that parent enters into the contract.
    43    2. The board may require a reasonable  period  of  residence  in  this
    44  state for a beneficiary or the parent of a beneficiary.
    45    3.  A  beneficiary  is  considered  a resident for purposes of tuition
    46  regardless of the beneficiary's residence on the date of enrollment.

    47    § 696-k. Types of plans. 1.  The  board  shall  make  prepaid  tuition
    48  contracts available for the:
    49    (a) public college plan; and
    50    (b) private college plan.
    51    2.  Through  the public college plan, a prepaid tuition contract shall
    52  provide prepaid tuition and required fees for the beneficiary to  attend
    53  a  public  college  for a specified number of undergraduate credit hours
    54  not to exceed the typical number of hours required for a certificate  or
    55  an associate degree or a bachelors degree awarded by a public college.

        A. 6826                             7
 
     1    3.  Through the private college plan, a prepaid tuition contract shall

     2  provide prepaid estimated average private tuition and required fees  for
     3  the beneficiary to attend a private or independent institution of higher
     4  education  for  a  specified number of undergraduate credit hours not to
     5  exceed  the  typical  number  of  hours  required for a bachelors degree
     6  awarded by a private or independent institution of higher education.
     7    § 696-l. Contract payment. 1. The board may provide for the receipt of
     8  payments under prepaid tuition contracts in  lump  sums  or  installment
     9  payments.
    10    2.  A  purchaser may make payments under a prepaid tuition contract by
    11  electronic funds transfer.
    12    3. An employee of the state or a political subdivision  of  the  state

    13  may make payments under a prepaid tuition contract by payroll deductions
    14  made by the appropriate officer of the state or political subdivision.
    15    4.  The  board  may  impose  a  fee for a late payment under a prepaid
    16  tuition contract.
    17    § 696-m. Change of beneficiary. 1. The purchaser of a prepaid  tuition
    18  contract may designate a new beneficiary instead of the original benefi-
    19  ciary  if the new beneficiary meets the requirements of a beneficiary on
    20  the date the designation is changed. If the purchaser is an  individual,
    21  the  new  beneficiary must be a sibling, step-sibling or half-sibling of
    22  the original beneficiary.
    23    2. The board may adjust the terms of a  prepaid  tuition  contract  so

    24  that  the  purchaser  is  required to pay the amount the purchaser would
    25  have been required to pay had the purchaser  originally  designated  the
    26  new  beneficiary  as  the  beneficiary, taking into account any payments
    27  made before the date the designation is changed.
    28    3. The purchaser of a prepaid tuition  contract  shall  not  sell  the
    29  contract.
    30    §  696-n.  Conversion  to  another  plan. 1. A purchaser may convert a
    31  prepaid tuition contract from one plan to another plan.
    32    2. The board may adjust the terms of the contract so that the purchas-
    33  er is required to pay the amount required under the plan  to  which  the
    34  contract  is converted, taking into account any payments made before the
    35  date the contract is converted.

    36    § 696-o. Verification under oath. The board may require a purchaser to
    37  verify under oath a request to:
    38    1. change a beneficiary;
    39    2. convert a contract to another plan; or
    40    3. terminate a contract.
    41    § 696-p. Promise or guarantee of admission.  This  article  shall  not
    42  constitute a promise or guarantee that a beneficiary will be:
    43    1. admitted to any institution of higher education or private or inde-
    44  pendent institution of higher education;
    45    2. admitted to a particular institution of higher education or private
    46  or independent institution of higher education;
    47    3.  allowed  to continue enrollment at an institution of higher educa-

    48  tion or private or independent institution  of  higher  education  after
    49  admission; or
    50    4.  graduated  from  an  institution of higher education or private or
    51  independent institution of higher education.
    52    § 696-q. Contract termination. 1. A  prepaid  tuition  contract  shall
    53  specify:
    54    (a) the name of any person who may terminate the contract; and
    55    (b) the terms under which the contract may be terminated.

        A. 6826                             8
 
     1    2.  A  prepaid tuition contract terminates on the tenth anniversary of
     2  the date the beneficiary is projected to graduate from high school,  not
     3  counting  time  spent by the beneficiary as an active duty member of the

     4  armed forces of the United States.
     5    § 696-r. Refund. 1. A prepaid tuition contract shall specify:
     6    (a)  the  name of the person entitled to any refund if the contract is
     7  terminated;
     8    (b) the terms under which a person is entitled to a refund; and
     9    (c) the method by which the amount of the refund is calculated.
    10    2. The person named in the contract is entitled to a refund  following
    11  termination of a prepaid tuition contract.
    12    3.  The  board  shall  determine the method by which the amount of the
    13  refund is calculated.
    14    § 696-s. Prepaid  higher  education  tuition  scholarships  for  needy
    15  students.  1.  To  the  extent money is available, the board may award a

    16  prepaid higher education tuition scholarship  to  a  student  who  meets
    17  economic and academic requirements adopted by the board by rule.
    18    2.  A scholarship awarded under this section terminates if the student
    19  to whom the scholarship is awarded is convicted  of  or  adjudicated  as
    20  having  engaged  in  delinquent conduct constituting a felony or class A
    21  misdemeanor.
    22    3. The board shall ensure that each region of the state  is  equitably
    23  represented in the awarding of scholarships under this section.
    24    4.  Scholarships  under  this  section  shall be funded by the private
    25  sector.
    26    5. The board may establish a direct-support organization to:
    27    (a) receive, hold, invest and administer money, gifts,  grants,  loans

    28  and other property for or on behalf of the program; and
    29    (b) purchase scholarships under this section.
    30    6.  The board of directors of the direct-support organization consists
    31  of:
    32    (a) the comptroller;
    33    (b) a member appointed by the governor with the advice and consent  of
    34  the temporary president of the senate; and
    35    (c)  three members appointed jointly by the comptroller and the member
    36  appointed by the governor.
    37    7. The board must certify that the direct-support  organization  oper-
    38  ates in a manner consistent with the goals of this state and in the best
    39  interests of this state.
    40    8.  The  board  may  contract  with  an  independent  certified public

    41  accountant to annually audit the direct-support organization under rules
    42  adopted by the board. The board shall submit  the  audit  to  the  comp-
    43  troller,  governor,  temporary  president  of the senate, speaker of the
    44  assembly, minority leader of the  senate  and  minority  leader  of  the
    45  assembly. The comptroller may require the direct-support organization or
    46  independent  certified  public accountant to provide additional informa-
    47  tion relating to the operation of the organization.
    48    9. The identity of a donor under this section who  desires  to  remain
    49  anonymous and the records of the direct-support organization, other than
    50  the  records disclosed under subdivision eight of this section, shall be
    51  confidential.

    52    § 696-t. Statement regarding status of prepaid  tuition  contract.  1.
    53  Not  later  than  December  first  of each year, the board shall furnish
    54  without charge to each purchaser a statement of:
    55    (a) the amount  paid  by  the  purchaser  under  the  prepaid  tuition
    56  contract;

        A. 6826                             9
 
     1    (b) the number of credit hours originally covered by the contract;
     2    (c) the number of credit hours remaining under the contract; and
     3    (d) any other information the board determines by rule is necessary or
     4  appropriate.
     5    2.  The board shall furnish a statement complying with subdivision one
     6  of this section to a purchaser or beneficiary upon written request.  The

     7  board  may  charge  a  reasonable fee for each statement furnished under
     8  this subdivision.
     9    § 696-u. Reports. 1. Not later than December first of each  year,  the
    10  board shall submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, temporary pres-
    11  ident  of  the  senate,  speaker of the assembly, minority leader of the
    12  senate and the minority leader of the assembly, a report including:
    13    (a) the board's fiscal transactions during the preceding fiscal year;
    14    (b) the market and book value of the fund as of the end of the preced-
    15  ing fiscal year;
    16    (c) the asset allocations of the  fund  expressed  in  percentages  of
    17  stocks, fixed income, cash or other financial investments;

    18    (d)  the  rate of return on the investment of the fund's assets during
    19  the preceding fiscal year; and
    20    (e) an actuarial valuation  of  the  assets  and  liabilities  of  the
    21  program,  including  the  extent  to which the program's liabilities are
    22  unfunded.
    23    2. The board shall make the report described  by  subdivision  one  of
    24  this section available to purchasers of prepaid tuition contracts.
    25    3. Not later than December first of each year, the board shall provide
    26  to  the  department complete prepaid tuition contract sales information,
    27  including projected enrollments  of  beneficiaries  at  institutions  of
    28  higher education.
    29    §  696-v.  Confidentiality.  1.  Records  in  the custody of the board

    30  relating to the participation of specific purchasers  and  beneficiaries
    31  in the program are confidential.
    32    2.  Notwithstanding  subdivision  one  of  this section, the board may
    33  release information described by such subdivision to an  institution  of
    34  higher  education  in which a beneficiary may enroll or is enrolled. The
    35  institution of higher education shall keep the information confidential.
    36    § 3. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 78-a  to
    37  read as follows:
    38    §  78-a.  New  empire fund. 1. There is hereby established in the sole
    39  custody of the state comptroller a special fund to be known as the  "new
    40  empire  fund".  All  payments from such fund shall be made in accordance
    41  with article fourteen-B of the education law.

    42    2. The fund shall consist of:
    43    (a) state appropriations for purposes of the fund;
    44    (b) money acquired from other governmental or private sources;
    45    (c) money paid under prepaid tuition contracts; and
    46    (d) the income from money deposited in the fund.
    47    3. The prepaid higher education tuition board established  by  section
    48  six  hundred  ninety-six-b of the education law, hereinafter referred to
    49  in this section as the "board", shall administer the assets of the fund.
    50  The board is the trustee of the fund's assets.
    51    4. The board may:
    52    (a) segregate contributions and payments  to  the  fund  into  various
    53  accounts; and
    54    (b) acquire, hold, manage, purchase, sell, assign, trade, transfer and

    55  dispose of any security, evidence of indebtedness or other investment in
    56  which the fund's assets may be invested.

        A. 6826                            10
 
     1    5.  (a) The comptroller shall invest the assets of the fund in invest-
     2  ments authorized by article four-A of the retirement and social security
     3  law, provided however, that:
     4    (i)  the provisions of paragraph (a) of subdivision two of section one
     5  hundred seventy-seven of the retirement and social  security  law  shall
     6  not apply except for subparagraph (ii) of such paragraph; and
     7    (ii)  notwithstanding  the  provisions of subdivision seven of section
     8  one hundred seventy-seven of the retirement and social security  law  or

     9  any  other  law  to  the  contrary,  the assets of the trust fund may be
    10  invested in any funding agreement  issued  in  accordance  with  section
    11  three thousand two hundred twenty-two of the insurance law by a domestic
    12  life  insurance  company or a foreign life insurance company doing busi-
    13  ness in this state, subject to the following:
    14    (1) such a funding agreement may provide for a guaranteed minimum rate
    15  of return;
    16    (2) such a funding agreement may be allocated  as  either  a  separate
    17  account  or  a  general  account  of  the issuer, as the comptroller may
    18  decide;
    19    (3) total investments of the trust fund pursuant to this paragraph  in
    20  any  funding  agreements issued by a single life insurance company which

    21  are allocated as a general account of  the  issuer  shall  not,  in  the
    22  aggregate, exceed three hundred fifty million dollars; and
    23    (4)  no assets of the trust fund shall be invested in any such funding
    24  agreement unless, at the time of  such  investment,  the  general  obli-
    25  gations  or  financial  strength  of the issuer have received either the
    26  highest or second highest rating by  two  nationally  recognized  rating
    27  services  or  by  one  nationally recognized rating service in the event
    28  that only one such service rates such obligations.
    29    (b) Trust fund assets shall be kept separate and shall not be  commin-
    30  gled  with  other  assets, except as provided in this section. The comp-

    31  troller may enter into contracts to provide for  investment  advice  and
    32  management,  custodial services, and other professional services for the
    33  administration and investment of the program. Administrative fees, costs
    34  and expenses, including investment fees and expenses, shall be paid from
    35  the assets of the fund.
    36    § 4. (a) As soon as possible on or after the effective  date  of  this
    37  act, the governor shall appoint the members of the prepaid higher educa-
    38  tion  tuition  board.  In  making  the  appointments, the governor shall
    39  designate two members for terms expiring February 1, 2011,  two  members
    40  for  terms  expiring February 1, 2013 and two members for terms expiring
    41  February 1, 2015.
    42    (b) Such board  shall  be  prepared  to  enter  into  prepaid  tuition

    43  contracts  not  later  than  the  ninetieth  day  after the date all the
    44  members are appointed or January 1, 2010, whichever occurs later.
    45    § 5. This act shall  take  effect  on  the  first  of  September  next
    46  succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
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