STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6788--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
October 23, 2019
___________
Introduced by Sens. BAILEY, JACKSON, KRUEGER, MYRIE, PERSAUD -- read
twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the
Committee on Rules -- recommitted to the Committee on Higher Education
in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT relating to creating the commission on affordable college educa-
tion to study the participation of community colleges in the educa-
tional opportunity program; and providing for the repeal of such
provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature hereby acknowledges
2 the need for a college education to compete in today's market. Further-
3 more, residents throughout New York state are in need of more affordable
4 higher education options. Currently, ten out of the thirty SUNY communi-
5 ty colleges do not participate in the Educational Opportunity Programs
6 (EOP), which provide vital financial and academic support for thousands
7 of academic and economically disadvantaged New Yorkers throughout the
8 state. Subsequently, community college students from those ten two-year
9 colleges, who seek to transfer into a four-year school as Higher Educa-
10 tion Opportunity Program (HEOP) or EOP applicants risk potentially
11 disqualifying themselves for such financial and academic support
12 programs.
13 § 2. A temporary state commission, to be known as the "commission on
14 affordable college education", is hereby established to examine, evalu-
15 ate and make recommendations concerning the need for the ten SUNY commu-
16 nity colleges to participate in EOP. The commission shall consider the
17 need for additional legislation to amend current eligibility criteria
18 for transfer students.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00179-03-0
S. 6788--A 2
1 § 3. The commission shall consist of thirteen members, to be appointed
2 as follows: three members to be appointed by the governor; three members
3 to be appointed by the temporary president of the senate; three members
4 to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly; two members to be
5 appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and two members to be
6 appointed by the minority leader of the assembly. The members shall have
7 demonstrated expertise in and experience in the field of higher educa-
8 tion, HEOP, or EOP. A chairperson and vice-chairperson of such commis-
9 sion shall be elected by the majority of its members, all members being
10 present.
11 § 4. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for
12 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
13 incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.
14 § 5. The commission may employ and at pleasure remove such personnel
15 as it may deem necessary for the performance of its functions. Such
16 commission may meet and hold public and/or private hearings within or
17 without the state, and shall have all the powers of a legislative
18 committee pursuant to the legislative law.
19 § 6. For the accomplishment of its purposes, the commission shall be
20 authorized and empowered to undertake any studies, inquiries, surveys or
21 analyses it may deem relevant in cooperation with or by agreement with
22 any other public or private agency.
23 § 7. The commission shall make a report of its findings, including any
24 recommendations for legislative action as it may deem necessary and
25 appropriate, to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and
26 the speaker of the assembly no later than one year after the effective
27 date of this act.
28 § 8. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
29 become a law and shall expire and be deemed repealed two years after
30 such date.
