BILL NUMBER: S7122
SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the "New York
state community college funding stability act"
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To provide reliable state funding for SUNY community colleges by estab-
lishing a funding floor.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
- Creates a Funding Floor: Guarantees that each SUNY community college
receives at least as much state funding as it did in its best-funded
year over the past three years.
- Indexes Funding to Inflation: Ensures future funding automatically
adjusts each year based on a recognized higher education cost index.
- Protects Against Fluctuations: Protects against cuts in per-student
funding if enrollment temporarily declines; increases funding when
enrollment grows.
- Limits Emergency Cuts: Prohibits changes to the funding floor or
inflation indexing without approval from the legislature.
- Oversight and Transparency: Charges the State Comptroller, SUNY Trus-
tees, and Chancellor with enforcing and reporting on compliance.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
New York's community colleges are an essential part of our state's high-
er education system. They offer affordable, flexible, and accessible
pathways to education-especially for students who are the first in their
families to attend college, working adults balancing jobs and classes,
or young people pursuing technical careers that don't necessarily
require a four-year degree. Community colleges directly support regional
economies by partnering with local industries to provide targeted job
training programs, producing skilled graduates ready to meet workforce
demands in sectors such as healthcare, advanced manufacturing, technolo-
gy, and the skilled trades.
Yet these institutions often face financial instability that leads to
severe program cuts, tuition hikes, faculty reductions, deferred mainte-
nance, and diminished student support services-challenges that dispro-
portionately affect lower-income and marginalized students. Declining
state funding in the past forced many community colleges in New York to
eliminate critical courses and reduce offerings in fields crucial to
regional job markets. Students seeking vocational and career-oriented
training may find fewer opportunities precisely when these affordable
and practical educational pathways are needed most.
This bill ensures SONY community colleges can plan with confidence,
maintaining affordable tuition and robust programming without fear of
fluctuating funding. By establishing a predictable funding floor, index-
ing state contributions to inflation, and protecting colleges against
enrollment-based funding reductions, we strengthen our workforce pipe-
line, enhance economic resilience in every region, and reaffirm our
commitment to educational equity and access. This legislation provides
the fiscal stability necessary for community colleges to fulfill their
vital role in preparing New Yorkers for good-paying jobs and secure
futures-no matter who they are or where they come from.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.