Enacts the "public university emergency contraception education act" requiring public universities to develop, produce and distribute informational materials related to emergency contraception.
This bill expands New York's veterans tuition awards program by allowing qualified veterans to transfer unused education benefits to eligible family members. It directly affects veterans who served at least 10 years (with exceptions for certain discharges) but didn't use their full tuition benefit, enabling them to transfer it to a spouse, child, or surviving financial dependent who lives in New York. Key provisions include requiring children receiving transfers to be under 26, capping annual transfers at 100, and establishing application rules for the transfer process. The bill repeals outdated language about "survivor" definitions and updates eligibility terms to clarify who qualifies for these transferred benefits.
This bill amends New York's mechanical insulation energy savings program to clarify eligibility and funding details. It directly affects school districts (and potentially public housing/hospitals) with buildings over 20,000 square feet needing insulation upgrades. Key provisions include requiring free "qualified audits" by approved contractors to identify insulation needs and costs, then providing competitive grants covering 50% to 75% of approved insulation installation expenses. The program mandates the authority to establish rules within one year and prioritize applicants who complete these audits.
This bill (S 6155) modifies New York's Excelsior Scholarship program to help current recipients maintain eligibility as their income grows. It allows the maximum allowable adjusted gross income threshold to increase by up to 3% annually after the first semester of receiving the scholarship, rather than requiring students to stay below a fixed income limit. The state education corporation (the "corporation") will review and determine if this annual 3% increase (or further increases at its discretion) prevents disqualification due to rising household income. This directly affects undergraduate students at New York state public colleges who currently receive the Excelsior Scholarship and experience typical annual income growth.
Establishes a high school robotics grant program; provides funding to high schools for participation in robotics competitions; sets forth eligibility requirements; provides for the application and awards process.
This bill requires colleges and universities to include clear, standardized information about student loan repayment in financial aid award letters sent to undergraduate students. Specifically, institutions must detail estimated monthly payments, total payoff amounts (including interest), and standard 10-year repayment terms for any loans in the aid package. The requirement applies to all schools offering approved programs, directly affecting students receiving financial aid by making loan costs more transparent upfront. The Department of Financial Services must create and publish this standardized letter format, including a glossary of terms, by December 2015 (with implementation for the 2016-17 academic year). This change aims to help students understand long-term debt obligations before accepting financial aid.
Establishes the crimes of criminal trespass on a school bus, school grounds or children's camp; requires the commissioner of motor vehicles, in consultation with the commissioner of transportation, to promulgate rules and regulations for certain signage on school buses; relates to professional development school bus driver safety training seminars statewide.
Enacts the "freedom to read act"; requires the commissioner of education and school library systems to develop policies to ensure that school libraries and library staff are empowered to curate and develop collections that provide students with access to the widest array of developmentally appropriate materials available.
Provides that beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, certain graduate students shall be required to pay 25% of all current and future mandatory university fees; provides that in the 2027-2028 academic year and thereafter, no mandatory university fees shall be charged, with the exclusion of the graduate student association student activity fee.
Provides that students who receive a high school diploma from an online high school program located within the United States that is accredited in accordance with the Job Corps Policy and Requirements Handbook shall be eligible for admission to colleges and financial aid.
