Bill Text: NY S04139 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Creates a baccalaureate and associate nursing assistance program within the department of health to provide loans to persons in pursuit of a nursing degree at an approved institution in this state; provides that nurses receiving loans will be obligated for one year of service as a nurse in New York for each year assistance was received; establishes an advisory council to assist in the administration of such program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-03 - REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION [S04139 Detail]

Download: New_York-2017-S04139-Introduced.html


                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          4139
                               2017-2018 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                    February 3, 2017
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  Sen. TEDISCO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a  bacca-
          laureate and associate nursing assistance program
          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 678-a
     2  to read as follows:
     3    § 678-a. Baccalaureate and associate nursing assistance program.    1.
     4  Definitions.  For  purposes of this section "approved institution" means
     5  an institution located in New York state that offers a  national  league
     6  for  nursing accredited program leading to an associate or baccalaureate
     7  degree in nursing.
     8    2. Establishment. There is hereby established  the  baccalaureate  and
     9  associate  nursing assistance program within the department. The purpose
    10  of such program shall be to provide loans to persons  in  pursuit  of  a
    11  nursing career in an approved institution.
    12    3.  Department's  responsibilities.  The  department shall prepare and
    13  supervise the issuance of public information  about  the  provisions  of
    14  this  section;  determine  the  eligibility of applicants; prescribe the
    15  form and regulate the submission of applications for  loans;  award  the
    16  appropriate  loans; prescribe the notes or other acknowledgements of the
    17  loan which the applicant is required to execute; and  determine  whether
    18  all  or any part of an applicant's loan needs to be paid or excused from
    19  payment, and the extent of any payment or excused payment the department
    20  may require a loan  recipient  to  reimburse  the  state  for  expenses,
    21  including but not limited to attorney's fees, incurred by the department
    22  or  other  agent  of the state for a successful legal action against the
    23  recipient for a breach of any provision of the loan agreement.
    24    4. Advisory council. The commissioner is hereby authorized  to  estab-
    25  lish  and appoint an advisory council to assist in the administration of
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD06378-01-7

        S. 4139                             2
     1  such program, the formulation of necessary rules  and  regulations,  the
     2  establishment of standards for eligibility and any other matters related
     3  thereto.    The  council  shall consist of seven members appointed for a
     4  term  of  two  years. From time to time, but at least once in every five
     5  years, the advisory council shall make and publish an evaluation of  the
     6  program under this section.
     7    5.  Eligibility.  An applicant shall be eligible for a loan under this
     8  section if the department finds that:
     9    (a) the applicant is enrolled in a  nursing  program  at  an  approved
    10  academic institution.
    11    (b) the applicant has been a permanent legal resident of the state for
    12  at least one year prior to submitting the application.
    13    (c) the applicant is in need of financial assistance.
    14    (d)  the  applicant  is enrolled as a student in either a four year or
    15  two year academic program leading to a degree in nursing.
    16    6. Amount of loans. A loan may be made in  an  amount  not  to  exceed
    17  twenty-five  hundred  dollars  per  year  for living expenses and not to
    18  exceed twenty-five hundred dollars per year for  full-time  tuition  and
    19  fees, up to a maximum of forty-five hundred dollars per year for a full-
    20  time student or up to twenty-five hundred dollars per year for part-time
    21  students  for  tuition and fees, less any other state or federal assist-
    22  ance received by an applicant to assist the  applicant's  pursuit  of  a
    23  baccalaureate  or  associate degree in nursing. The department may grant
    24  loans on a quarterly or semi-annual basis and shall require  the  appli-
    25  cant  to  diligently  pursue  his/her studies and maintain good academic
    26  standing.
    27    7. Repayment of loans. In order to receive the assistance, each recip-
    28  ient must enter into a binding contract with the state  to  fulfill  the
    29  obligations  incurred. Recipients who fail to complete their studies due
    30  to academic failure or voluntary withdrawal or other  actions  on  their
    31  part  must repay the full amount of the loan with reasonable interest as
    32  determined by the  commissioner.  Nursing  students  who  receive  loans
    33  through  the  program  may repay their obligation to the program through
    34  employment for one year in this state as a nurse for each year for which
    35  assistance was received provided, however, that part-time  students  may
    36  repay  their obligation to the program through employment for six months
    37  in this state as  a  nurse  for  each  year  for  which  assistance  was
    38  received.
    39    8. Rules and regulations. The commissioner shall promulgate such rules
    40  and  regulations  as  are  necessary  for the establishment and adminis-
    41  tration of the program provided for in this section.
    42    § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
    43  the  date  on  which it shall have become a law, provided, however, that
    44  effective immediately, the addition,  amendment  and/or  repeal  of  any
    45  rules  or  regulations necessary for the implementation of the foregoing
    46  section of this act on its effective date is authorized and directed  to
    47  be made and completed on or before such effective date.
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