S 3139 New York Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Relates to providing free SUNY, CUNY, and community college tuition to active volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical services providers, and volunteer auxiliary police officers

Summary

Establishes a statewide program to provide free SUNY, CUNY, and community college tuition to active volunteer firefighters, volunteer emergency medical services providers, and volunteer auxiliary police officers.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2025 Last action May 7, 2026

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What changed between versions

S3139 → S3139A · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to significantly limit the tuition assistance program for volunteer first responders. Instead of covering the full cost of an entire degree, the program now only pays for one class per semester. Additionally, the requirement to repay tuition as a loan if a student drops out was removed.

Scope change

The scope of the benefit was narrowed from covering an entire undergraduate degree to covering only one class per semester toward that degree.

SCOPE

The benefit was reduced from full tuition for an entire degree to tuition for only one class per semester.

ENFORCEMENT

The provision requiring students to convert unpaid tuition into a student loan with interest if they fail to meet requirements was deleted.

REQUIREMENT

The specific requirement for students to apply for Excelsior Scholarship funding before receiving this tuition assistance was removed from the text.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 7, 2026

Upper · Passed

PRINT NUMBER 3139A

upper

May 7, 2026

Upper · Passed

AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO HIGHER EDUCATION

upper

Jan 7, 2026

Committee

REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION

upper

1 primary · 10 co-sponsors