Prohibits the deferral of awards granted under the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP); ensures that a TAP award will be paid on time so that the student may pay his or her tuition bill on time.

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S119A-2011 Actions

• Jan 5, 2012: PRINT NUMBER 119A
• Jan 5, 2012: AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO HIGHER EDUCATION
• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
• Apr 6, 2011: DEFEATED IN HIGHER EDUCATION
• Feb 22, 2011: NOTICE OF COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION - REQUESTED
• Jan 5, 2011: REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

S119A-2011 Votes

S119A-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S119A

TITLE OF BILL:

An act
to amend the education law, in relation to prohibiting the deferral of
awards granted under the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this legislation is to prohibit the deferral of TAP
awards until after the student graduates from his or her course of
study.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 - Amends Section 667 of the Education Law by adding a new
subdivision 4.
Prohibits the deferral of TAP awards until the student graduates his
or her course of study.
Requires that TAP awards be paid in a reasonable time frame in order
to ensure that the student is able to apply the award toward his or
her tuition bill.

Section 2 - Effective Date

EXISTING LAW:

None.

JUSTIFICATION:

In 1969, the State Legislature adopted the Tuition Assistance Program
(TAP) a needs-based scholarship program for students seeking to
attain higher education in New York State.
Originally designed to help low income students pay for higher
education, it was later enlarged to provide assistance to middle
income students. The Governor has proposed changing TAP to defer
payment of one-third of each eligible students yearly grants until
the student has completed his or her degree. Many students depend on
financial aid in order to attend college. This proposed change could
cause fewer students to seek higher education, disproportionately
affect minority students, and cause financial hardship to those
students who are forced to take on additional debt to complete their
education.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2011:    S.119 - Defeated in Higher Education/A.1280 - Referred to
         Higher Education
2009-10: S.3130A - Amended and Recommitted to Education/A.8848A -

         Amended and Recommitted to Education
2007-08: S.779 - Referred to Higher Education

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

Immediately, and shall apply to academic quarters and semesters
beginning on or after August 1, 2012.

S119A-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                   119--A

                         2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                                 (PREFILED)

                               January 5, 2011
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sen.  DIAZ  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
    printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education -- recom-
    mitted 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 committee

  AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to prohibiting the defer-
    ral of awards granted under the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

    THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section 1. Section 667 of the education law is amended by adding a new
  subdivision 4 to read as follows:

    4. DEFERRAL OF TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AWARDS PROHIBITED.  UNDER NO
  CIRCUMSTANCES  SHALL  AN  AWARD  GRANTED  UNDER  THE  TUITION ASSISTANCE
  PROGRAM (TAP) PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION BE  DEFERRED  UNTIL  THE  STUDENT
  RECIPIENT GRADUATES FROM HIS OR HER COURSE OF STUDY. THE PRESIDENT SHALL
  PAY  A  TUITION  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM AWARD TO THE STUDENT RECIPIENT IN A
  REASONABLE TIMEFRAME IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE STUDENT RECIPIENT IS ABLE TO
  APPLY THE AWARD TOWARD HIS OR HER  TUITION  BILL  ON  TIME.  NO  TUITION
  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM  AWARD  SHALL  BE MADE CONTINGENT UPON THE STUDENT'S
  GRADUATION FROM HIS OR HER UNDERGRADUATE OR GRADUATE COURSE OF STUDY.
    S 2. This act shall  take  effect  immediately,  and  shall  apply  to
  academic quarters and semesters beginning on or after August 1, 2012.



   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD02580-04-2