Education (Student Financial Aid)

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 2424: Establishes the community college merit and mobility scholarship

Establishes the community college merit and mobility scholarship for the purpose of granting merit based scholarships to students who attend a New York state community college; provides for eligibility and awards.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates merit-based scholarships for NY community college students, increasing access to higher education funding and supporting student financial aid.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 3276: Relates to student financial aid programs

Relates to student financial aid programs; allows absence because of uniformed service, maternity/paternity, FMLA, or due to compensable injury to be creditable time.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill ensures absences for military service, family leave, or injury count toward credit, protecting student academic progress in financial aid programs.92% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransAllows absence due to uniformed service (including veterans) to count toward student aid credits, supporting veterans' educational access.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid Veteran Education

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4290: Directs the New York state higher education services corporation to conduct an audit of the excelsior scholarship program to determine the financial need and diversity of scholarship applicants and recipients

Directs the New York state higher education services corporation to conduct an audit of the excelsior scholarship program to determine the financial need and diversity of scholarship applicants and recipients; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill audits Excelsior Scholarship to verify financial need and diversity, ensuring equitable access and program effectiveness within higher education funding.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 2247: Relates to renaming the state aid for certain independent institutions of higher learning to the Leonard P. Stavisky student success grants

Renames the state aid for certain independent institutions of higher learning to the Leonard P. Stavisky student success grants; requires certain institutions and colleges to submit a report on the use of the state aid apportionment received including how it supported student success.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRenames state aid to 'student success grants' and mandates reports on fund usage supporting student success, strengthening higher education funding accountability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 8442: Establishes a personal income tax deduction for the interest paid on student loans by certain taxpayers

Establishes a personal income tax deduction for the interest paid on student loans by individual taxpayers having a federal adjusted income of between $65,000 and $125,000, and married taxpayers filing jointly having a federal adjusted income of between $130,000 and $250,000.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax deduction for student loan interest targeting middle-income taxpayers ($65k-$125k individual, $130k-$250k joint), reducing taxable income and offering tax relief.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationTax deduction for student loan interest reduces financial burden on higher education borrowers, expanding access to college and aligning with educational access indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 8951: Exempts the income of dependent applicants for certain awards

Exempts the income of dependent applicants from their eligibility determination for excelsior scholarship and tuition assistance program awards and makes adjustments to certain award reduction schedules.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts dependent applicants' income from eligibility, expanding access to tuition assistance programs and reducing financial barriers for students.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6193: Establishes the SUNY downstate medical support fund

Establishes the SUNY downstate medical support fund to provide financial support for infrastructural upgrades and expansion; facilitates research and development grants in medical and health-related fields; offers scholarships and financial aid; supports community health initiatives and outreach programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates SUNY Downstate Medical Support Fund providing scholarships, financial aid, infrastructure upgrades, and R&D grants for medical education at a higher education institution, directly advancing higher education access and funding.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates a medical support fund for infrastructure, research grants, scholarships, and community health initiatives, directly advancing healthcare funding and services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4260: Relates to a fee waiver for applications to SUNY and CUNY

Authorizes a fee waiver for applications to SUNY and CUNY if a prospective student, either a high school senior, or a person completing a gap year, submits and completes the FAFSA form.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill waives application fees for SUNY/CUNY upon FAFSA completion, reducing financial barriers to higher education access, a core aspect of educational access in the topic.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Student Financial Aid

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died · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 6155: Allows for a modest increase in annual income to not disqualify someone from the excelsior scholarship

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationModifies income threshold for Excelsior Scholarship, expanding access to higher education funding for students as income grows, directly strengthening educational access and affordability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 7590: Establishes an automatic application program for state high school students into SUNY and CUNY

S 7590 establishes an automatic application program for graduating New York high school students applying to State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York (CUNY) institutions. This program creates a centralized online account for each student, preloading their academic and demographic information. Students can review and choose to submit these pre-filled applications, and will receive estimated financial aid information before submission. Students who apply through this program and meet standards set by the department shall be accepted for admission, and can opt out at any time.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAutomates college applications for NY high school students, expanding access to SUNY/CUNY without application barriers95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Student Financial Aid

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