S1268-2011 Actions

• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS
• Jan 6, 2011: REFERRED TO VETERANS, HOMELAND SECURITY AND MILITARY AFFAIRS

S1268-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S1268

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the education law, in relation to the veterans tuition awards
program

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Extending the free tuition at SUNY and CUNY for all honorably
discharged war veterans who are residents of New York State and have
served during hostilities that occurred after February 28, 1961.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
This legislation would amend paragraph D of subdivision 1 of section
669-a of the Education Law, as added by section 2 of part N of
chapter 57 of the laws of 2008, in defining other eligible veterans.

Paragraph A of subdivision 2 of section 669-a of the Education Law as
amended by section 3 of part N of chapter 57 of the laws of 2008,
shall be amended to allow other eligible veterans to receive tuition
awards.

JUSTIFICATION:
The current law unintentionally demonstrates a great disrespect to all
other honorably discharged veterans who are not entitled to exercise
Part N of the 2008 State of New York Budget. This enactment shall
compel respect and encourage more veterans of the armed forces of the
united States since February 28, 1961, to benefit and capitalize from
a free SUNY or CUNY education.

Many veterans who have now, or in the past, performed more-hazardous
duties than those serving in combat zones are living with and are
sometimes dying from the serious consequences of being exposed to
those hazards. Veterans who served in hazardous duty and received
Hazardous Duty Pay, but may not have been assigned to a combat zone
include among others many aviators, submariners, aircraft carrier
flight deck crew and special operations limits, would be eligible to
receive tuition awards.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2009-2010: S.4054 - Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and
Military Affairs

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Will vary between approximately $50 million to approximately $100
million depending upon the number of Veterans that take advantage of
this act.
Roughly 20,000 Veterans would be eligible for this educational benefit.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of September next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.

S1268-2011 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                         1268
 2011-2012 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 January 6, 2011
 
 Introduced  by Sens. ADDABBO, HUNTLEY -- read twice and ordered printed,
 and when printed to be committed to the Committee on  Veterans,  Home
 land Security and Military Affairs
 AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to the veterans tuition
 awards program
 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

Section 1. Paragraph d of subdivision 1 of section 669-a of the educa
 tion  law,  as added by section 2 of part N of chapter 57 of the laws of
 2008, is amended to read as follows:

 d. "Other eligible [combat] veteran" means: an individual who (i) is a
 resident of this state, (ii) served in the armed forces  of  the  United
 States  [in]  DURING  hostilities  that  occurred after February twenty
 eighth, nineteen hundred sixty-one, [as evidenced by their receipt of an
 Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Navy Expeditionary  Medal,  or  Marine
 Corps  Expeditionary  Medal,]  and  (iii) was discharged under honorable
 conditions, including but not limited to honorable discharge,  discharge
 under honorable conditions, or general discharge.
 

S  2.  Paragraph  a of subdivision 2 of section 669-a of the education
 law, as amended by section 3 of part N of chapter  57  of  the  laws  of
 2008, is amended to read as follows:

 a. Tuition awards are available for all Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Afghan
 istan  and  other  eligible [combat] veterans, as defined in subdivision
 one of this section, who are enrolled, pursuant to paragraph a of subdi
 vision four of section six hundred sixty-one of this part,  in  approved
 undergraduate  or  graduate  programs at degree granting institutions or
 enrolled in approved vocational training programs and who  apply  for  a
 tuition  assistance program award pursuant to section six hundred sixty
 seven of this subpart.
 

S 3. This act shall  take  effect  on  the  first  of  September  next
 succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD01384-01-1

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