Bill Text: NY A01017 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Provides loan forgiveness to credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse counselors (CASACs) who reside in the state and work in a facility licensed by the state.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to higher education [A01017 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A01017-Introduced.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          1017

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 13, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced by M. of A. STIRPE -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Higher Education

        AN  ACT  to  amend  the  education  law,  in  relation to providing loan
          forgiveness to credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse counselors

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 679-k
     2  to read as follows:
     3    § 679-k. Credentialed alcoholism and substance  abuse  counselor  loan
     4  forgiveness  program. 1. Purpose. The president shall grant student loan
     5  forgiveness awards to credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse  coun-
     6  selors  for  the purpose of increasing the number of individuals serving
     7  in the service area of substance abuse counseling.
     8    2. Certification. Credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse  counse-
     9  lor  loan  forgiveness  awards  shall  be awarded each year. Such awards
    10  shall be allocated as provided in this section to eligible  credentialed
    11  alcoholism  and  substance  abuse counselors, hereinafter referred to as
    12  CASACs, as certified to the commissioner by the president.
    13    3. Definition. For the purposes of this section, a CASAC shall mean an
    14  alcoholism and substance abuse counselor credentialed in accordance with
    15  the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations Title 14 Section 853.5.
    16    4. Eligibility. A CASAC shall be eligible  for  an  award  under  this
    17  section  provided that: (i) such person has been a resident of the state
    18  of New York for a minimum of one year and (ii) such person  is  employed
    19  as a CASAC in a facility licensed by the state of New York.
    20    5. Duration. Each award shall entitle the recipient to an annual award
    21  and a recipient shall be eligible for no more than three years.
    22    6. Amount. The corporation shall grant such awards based on availabil-
    23  ity  of  funds  in an amount not to exceed the total cost of the student
    24  loan debt.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01763-01-3

        A. 1017                             2

     1    7. Rules and regulations. The corporation is authorized to  promulgate
     2  rules  and  regulations, and may promulgate emergency regulations neces-
     3  sary for the implementation of the provisions of this section.
     4    § 2. This act shall take effect April 1, 2025.
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