Bill Text: NY S04304 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Establishes the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology ("FIRST") robotics competition and appropriates funds for the grant program to fund high school participation in the competition and to encourage study in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 8-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO FINANCE [S04304 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S04304-Introduced.html


                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          4304
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                      March 7, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced by Sens. RANZENHOFER, BOYLE, CARLUCCI, FUNKE, GALLIVAN, HELM-
          ING, RITCHIE, SAVINO, SEWARD, YOUNG -- read twice and ordered printed,
          and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
        AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the For
          Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology ("FIRST")  grant
          program; and making an appropriation therefor
          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 3641-c
     2  to read as follows:
     3    § 3641-c. For inspiration and recognition of  science  and  technology
     4  robotics  league  participation  ("FIRST") grant program. 1. The commis-
     5  sioner shall establish the FIRST grant program and  the  FIRST  robotics
     6  competition pursuant to this section and regulations of the commissioner
     7  adopted  for  such  purpose.  Within  the  amounts appropriated for this
     8  purpose, the commissioner shall award grants on a competitive  basis  to
     9  public  and private high schools for the purpose of encouraging study in
    10  the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.
    11    2. Eligibility. a. Applicants must be a public or private high  school
    12  in the state that has a school sponsored robotics club or a team partic-
    13  ipating, or intending to participate, in a FIRST robotics competition.
    14    b. Applicants must establish a partnership for the purposes of design-
    15  ing,  building  and/or  programming  the  team's robot with at least one
    16  other sponsor, which shall be a business, institution of higher learning
    17  or technological school.
    18    3. Applications. Applications must be submitted to the commissioner by
    19  June first of each year for grants to be made for the following academic
    20  year. All grants shall be subject to the  applicant  obtaining  matching
    21  funds from other sources of at least fifty percent of the grant.
    22    4.  Awards.  a.  The  commissioner shall grant awards in the amount of
    23  five thousand dollars to schools that are eligible, pursuant to subdivi-
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01698-01-9

        S. 4304                             2
     1  sion two of this section. Awards shall be within the  amounts  appropri-
     2  ated for such purpose and based on availability of funds.
     3    b.  Preference  shall  be  given  to  schools that have not previously
     4  participated in robotics competitions or received  grants  through  this
     5  program,  on  a  first-come  first-served  basis, and if there are funds
     6  remaining thereafter to other previously established programs.
     7    c. Funds awarded under this grant shall be  used  for:    registration
     8  costs;  materials;  travel costs; and other expenses associated with the
     9  preparation for, and attendance at, FIRST robotics competitions.
    10    d. Additional grants shall also be made pursuant to such  other  rules
    11  and regulations as may be promulgated by the commissioner.
    12    § 2. The sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars, or so much thereof
    13  as  may be available, is hereby appropriated to the department of educa-
    14  tion from any moneys in the state treasury in the general  fund  to  the
    15  credit  of  the  state purposes account, not otherwise appropriated, and
    16  made  immediately  available,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the
    17  provisions  of  this  act. Such moneys shall be payable on the audit and
    18  warrant of the comptroller on vouchers  certified  or  approved  by  the
    19  commissioner of education in the manner prescribed by law.
    20    § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
    21  it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
    22  ment, and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for  the  imple-
    23  mentation  of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed
    24  to be made and completed on or before such date.
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