BILL NUMBER: S3779
SPONSOR: GOUNARDES
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to permitting tuition
assistance program awards for an aggregate six years of study
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Relates to increasing the maximum years of study under the tuition
assistance program to an aggregate six years
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends subdivision 2 of section 667 of the Education Law to
increase the maximum years of study in the aggregate that a student is
permitted to receive tuition assistance program awards.
Section 2 states the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Currently, students are only eligible to receive tuition assistance
program (TAP) awards for four consecutive years. However, data from SUNY
and CUNY show that the average time to degree completion for a bachelors
degree is more than five years. Increasing the time students are permit-
ted to receive TAP awards will allow more students to afford to complete
their degree. Additionally, providing TAP awards for an aggregate of six
(or more) years means that students who need to take time off from
school will not be penalized by having that time count against them.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: S347 - Referred to Higher Education
2023: S347 - Referred to Higher Education
2022: S5692 - Referred to Higher Education
2021: S5692 - Referred to Higher Education
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
TBD
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date
on which it shall have become a law.

Statutes affected:
S3779: 667 education law, 667(2) education law