STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8052
IN SENATE
January 21, 2022
___________
Introduced by Sen. REICHLIN-MELNICK -- 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 authorizing tuition
assistance program awards for students enrolled in short-term creden-
tial programs offered by certain public institutions
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
2 667-c-2 to read as follows:
3 § 667-c-2. Short-term credential tuition assistance program awards. 1.
4 Notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the pres-
5 ident of the higher education services corporation is authorized to make
6 tuition assistance program awards to students enrolled in short-term
7 credential programs offered by the state university of New York (SUNY),
8 a community college established pursuant to article one hundred twen-
9 ty-six of this chapter, the city university of New York (CUNY), or a
10 board of cooperative educational services established pursuant to arti-
11 cle forty of this chapter, who meet all requirements for tuition assist-
12 ance program awards.
13 2. For purposes of this section, a short-term credential program is
14 one that:
15 a. provides not less than one hundred fifty, and not more than six
16 hundred, clock hours of instructional time over a period of not less
17 than eight weeks and not more than fifteen weeks;
18 b. provides training aligned with the requirements of high-skill,
19 high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations in the state, as
20 determined by the commissioner, in consultation with the department of
21 labor; and
22 c. provides a student, upon completion of the program, with a recog-
23 nized postsecondary credential that is recognized by employers in the
24 relevant industry, including credentials recognized by industry or
25 sector partnerships in the relevant industry in the state;
26 3. a. For students enrolled in a short-term credential program as
27 defined in this section, the award shall be calculated as provided in
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14379-02-2
S. 8052 2
1 section six hundred sixty-seven of this article and shall be in an
2 amount equal to the enrollment factor percent of the award the student
3 would have been eligible for if the student were enrolled full-time at a
4 degree-granting institution or registered not-for-profit business school
5 qualified for tax exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the internal
6 revenue code for federal income tax purposes. The enrollment factor
7 percent is the percentage obtained by dividing the number of hours the
8 student is enrolled in, as certified by the school, by the number of
9 hours required for full-time study, at a degree-granting institution or
10 registered not-for-profit business school qualified for tax exemption
11 under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code for federal
12 income tax purposes, for a semester, quarter, or term, as defined by the
13 commissioner.
14 b. Any award a student receives pursuant to this section shall be
15 counted as the enrollment factor percent of a semester, quarter or term
16 toward the maximum term of eligibility for tuition assistance awards
17 pursuant to section six hundred sixty-seven of this article. The total
18 period of study for which payment may be made shall not exceed the
19 equivalent of the maximum period authorized for that award.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
