Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D-Utica/Rome) announced that a bill she sponsored to classify spouses or dependents of active-duty service members stationed out-of-state following an assignment in New York as in-state residents for the purposes of SUNY tuition rates has passed the Assembly (A.6249).

“When considering higher education options, aspiring students who have family members or spouses on active duty are wary to enroll in SUNY schools due to the very real possibility that they may have to pick up and move at the blink of an eye,” said Buttenschon. “Out-of-state or nonresident tuition is often two to three times that of in-state tuition and a change in status before enrollment puts students and families in a situation where they must find another college last minute or pay the higher tuition. The brave men and women who serve our country and their families deserve our support, which is why I sponsored this legislation and fought for it to be passed through the Assembly. I’ll continue doing all that I can to support our service members and their families in all their endeavors.”

The bill would allow for a spouse or child of an active-duty service member who is assigned to duty elsewhere following an assignment in New York to be deemed an in-state resident if they have been accepted to a public university or college. The student would have to remain continuously enrolled at the school to qualify for in-state tuition rates and fees at the SUNY or CUNY school. The passage of this bill would bring New York in line with 25 other states that have previously enacted this policy since it was identified by the United States Department of Defense, noted Buttenschon.

Buttenschon has continued to fight for service members and veterans by sponsoring and advocating for other legislation, including bills to:

• provide a waiver from SUNY application fees for veterans (A.1015);
• eliminate additional application fees and annual fees for special license plates issued to veterans of the armed forces of the United States (A.1230);
• provide a help/crisis line to assist veterans (A.5832); and
• establish a Giving Internships for Disabled Veterans Not Fully Employed Program (G.I.V.E. Back NY) as well as award 10% of available internships in the assembly youth participation program and the senate student program to eligible honorably discharged veterans with service-connected disabilities (A.6445).

To view the Assemblywoman speaking on this bill, please visit:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jjd5I501MO_pSUqXMvSY2P-VCqKow4Of/view?usp=sharing