Directs the board of trustees of the state university of New York and the board of trustees of the city university of New York to develop and administer the tuition exemption for law enforcement program, which exempts police officers enrolled in full-time or part-time degree programs at the state university of New York or the city university of New York, including community colleges, from tuition and fees for the duration of their enrollment.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9659
IN ASSEMBLY
March 27, 2024
___________
Introduced by M. of A. REILLY -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to directing the board of
trustees of the state university of New York and the board of trustees
of the city university of New York to develop and administer the
tuition exemption for law enforcement program
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 "tuition exemption for law enforcement officers act" or the "TELE
3 act".
4 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 669-i to
5 read as follows:
6 § 669-i. Tuition exemption for law enforcement program. 1. Definition.
7 For purposes of this section, "police officer" means a member of a
8 police force or other organization of a municipality who is responsible
9 for the prevention and detection of crime and the enforcement of the
10 general criminal laws of the state, but shall not include any person
11 serving as such solely by virtue of his occupying any other office or
12 position, nor shall such term include a sheriff, under-sheriff, commis-
13 sioner of police, chief of police, deputy or assistant chief of police
14 or any person having an equivalent title who is appointed or employed by
15 a municipality to exercise equivalent supervisory authority.
16 2. Administration. (a) The board of trustees of the state university
17 of New York and the board of trustees of the city university of New York
18 are hereby directed to develop and administer the tuition exemption for
19 law enforcement program. Such program shall be offered exclusively to
20 active-duty police officers to provide an incentive to maintain and
21 increase employment levels at law enforcement agencies.
22 (b) Law enforcement agencies which employ police officers which apply
23 for and receive such tuition exemptions shall monitor and enforce the
24 commitments outlined in this section.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14966-01-4
A. 9659 2
1 (c) The state university of New York and the city university of New
2 York shall coordinate with law enforcement agencies to verify enrollment
3 and eligibility criteria for the tuition exemption under this section.
4 (d) The state university of New York and the city university of New
5 York shall coordinate with law enforcement agencies to develop an appli-
6 cation process for the tuition exemption under this section.
7 (e) If the grade point average of a participating police officer is
8 less than 3.0, then such officer shall be placed on probation from the
9 tuition exemption program for one semester. If the grade point average
10 does not return to 3.0 or greater within one semester, then such officer
11 shall become ineligible for the tuition exemption program.
12 3. Tuition exemption. Police officers enrolled in full-time or part-
13 time degree programs, including credit and non-credit bearing programs,
14 at the state university of New York or the city university of New York,
15 including community colleges, shall be exempt from tuition and fees for
16 the duration of their enrollment. Such tuition exemption shall be
17 applied to the cost of any courses or programs offered by the state
18 university of New York or the city university of New York.
19 4. Commitment to service. (a) Any police officer benefiting from the
20 tuition exemption under this section shall commit to serving a state or
21 municipal law enforcement agency for a minimum period of:
22 (i) Five years if enrolled in an associate degree or workforce program
23 or until the criteria for retirement from such office are met.
24 (ii) Ten years if enrolled in an undergraduate degree or until the
25 criteria for retirement from such office are met.
26 (iii) Five years if enrolled in a graduate degree or until the crite-
27 ria for retirement from such office are met.
28 (b) Failure to fulfill the commitment outlined in paragraph (a) of
29 this subdivision shall result in such police officer being obligated to
30 repay a proportional amount of the tuition waived, based on the number
31 of years served.
32 (i) If the employment of a police officer is terminated with their
33 respective agency before completing the commitment period specified in
34 this subdivision, such officer shall repay a prorated amount of the
35 tuition waived to the state university of New York or the city universi-
36 ty of New York.
37 (ii) The prorated repayment specified in this subdivision shall be
38 made within a reasonable period determined by the state university of
39 New York or the city university of New York following such police offi-
40 cer's termination of employment or resignation.
41 (c) Should such police officer be injured in the line of duty or
42 removed from their office due to medical necessity, the commitment to
43 service shall be deemed to have been met in full. The agency by which
44 such police officer is employed shall submit proof of injury or medical
45 leave to the state university of New York or the city university of New
46 York.
47 5. Funding. The state university of New York and the city university
48 of New York are hereby directed to establish a police officer tuition
49 exemption account to support this section. Any costs incurred by the
50 state university of New York and the city university of New York from
51 such tuition exemption account shall be reimbursed from the general
52 fund.
53 § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
54 it shall have become a law.
