Bill Text: NY S04349 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Provides loans, grants and incentives to promote studies in math, science and engineering or any other high-tech field the commissioner deems appropriate on a high school and college level; establishes certain state funds and provides tax credits for contributions thereto; makes an appropriation therefor.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-03 - REFERRED TO FINANCE [S04349 Detail]
Download: New_York-2017-S04349-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4349 2017-2018 Regular Sessions IN SENATE February 10, 2017 ___________ Introduced by Sen. TEDISCO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance AN ACT to amend the education law, the state finance law and the tax law, in relation to increasing educational opportunities in the fields of math, science and technology or any high-tech field; 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. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as 2 the "New Edison Project Act". 3 § 2. Legislative intent. Today, Americans are feeling the far-reaching 4 effects of economic globalization and the loss of the American 5 distinction as the leader in technological innovation. While there is 6 recognition throughout the United States from academic, political and 7 business leaders of the nature of the problem, solutions appear both 8 varied and isolated. Only recently has government been compelled to put 9 forth legislative efforts. 10 Here in New York, we have made great efforts to cultivate a new gener- 11 ation of high tech business, and we have marketed these emerging efforts 12 with names such as Tech Valley and Silicon Alley. If we are to continue 13 to build a future for New York as a technological center for innovation 14 and science, we must be committed to cultivating a new generation of 15 scientists. 16 The New Edison Project does not rely on a single decision-making 17 factor to influence a student's career choice, but instead employs a 18 broad range of programs that seek to influence and inspire a generation 19 of high school and college students. 20 § 3. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding two new 21 subdivisions 56 and 57 to read as follows: 22 56. The commissioner shall develop guidelines by which school 23 districts may establish high schools offering advanced curricula of the EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD06361-01-7S. 4349 2 1 sciences. Such schools would be either distinct high schools or programs 2 within high schools distributed regionally throughout the state which 3 provide students with enriched math, science and technology curricula. 4 Each school district interested in participating shall submit an appli- 5 cation to the department setting forth its plan for advanced curriculum. 6 Six school districts shall be accepted for advanced curriculum funding 7 of up to one million dollars each in addition to traditional school aid. 8 57. To properly acquaint the public with the importance of the 9 provisions of subdivision fifty-six of this section, the commissioner, 10 with appropriate consultation, shall establish a celebrity media 11 campaign whereby celebrities of television, film and the sciences are 12 involved to draw attention to math, science and technology career paths. 13 This campaign will also be aimed at parents of potential students of the 14 advanced curriculum. 15 § 4. The education law is amended by adding a new section 667-b to 16 read as follows: 17 § 667-b. Supplemental program for math, science and technology majors. 18 Any full time student entering his or her sophomore year who is enrolled 19 in a math, science or technology major, and who is a recipient of 20 tuition assistance pursuant to section six hundred sixty-seven of this 21 subpart, shall receive an additional sum of five hundred dollars toward 22 tuition. 23 § 5. The education law is amended by adding a new section 669-h to 24 read as follows: 25 § 669-h. Additional incentives in the fields of math, science and 26 technology. In addition to the incentives toward a teaching career 27 pursuant to section six hundred sixty-nine-d of this subpart, the 28 commissioner shall select up to five hundred full time students who are 29 majoring in math, science or technology or any other high-technology 30 field that the commissioner deems appropriate, to receive loan forgive- 31 ness of ten thousand dollars per year for up to five years provided each 32 such student agrees in writing to working within this state for at least 33 five years after graduation in an appropriate field of math, science or 34 technology or any other high-technology field that the commissioner 35 deems appropriate. 36 § 6. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 89-i to 37 read as follows: 38 § 89-i. Microscope fund. 1. There is hereby established in the joint 39 custody of the commissioner of taxation and finance and the comptroller, 40 a special fund to be known as the "microscope fund". 41 2. Such fund shall consist of all revenues received by the department 42 of taxation and finance from grants, contributions, donations and all 43 other moneys credited or transferred thereto from any other fund or 44 source pursuant to law. The commissioner of education shall establish a 45 low interest loan fund, to be administered by a private financial corpo- 46 ration. Such fund shall provide up to fifty thousand dollars per high 47 school granted a low interest loan pursuant to this section. High 48 schools shall qualify for such a loan based on criteria to be determined 49 by the private financial corporation administering the loan fund and 50 priority shall be given to funding for specialized projects. 51 3. On or before the first day of February each year, the comptroller 52 shall certify to the governor, temporary president of the senate, speak- 53 er of the assembly, minority leader of the senate, minority leader of 54 the assembly, chair of the senate finance committee, ranking minority 55 member of the senate finance committee, chair of the assembly ways and 56 means committee and ranking minority member of the assembly ways andS. 4349 3 1 means committee, the amount of money deposited in such fund during the 2 preceding calendar year. 3 4. Moneys in such fund shall be kept separate and shall not be commin- 4 gled with any other moneys in the custody of the commissioner of taxa- 5 tion and finance and the comptroller. 6 5. All payments from such fund shall be made by the department of 7 taxation and finance after audit and warrant of the comptroller on 8 vouchers approved by the commissioner of education. 9 § 7. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 89-j to 10 read as follows: 11 § 89-j. Foundation fund. 1. There is hereby established in the joint 12 custody of the commissioner of taxation and finance and the comptroller, 13 a special fund to be known as the "foundation fund". 14 2. Such fund shall consist of all revenues received by the department 15 of taxation and finance, from moneys appropriated, credited, or trans- 16 ferred thereto from any other fund or source pursuant to law. Nothing 17 contained in this section shall prevent the state from receiving grants, 18 gifts or bequests for the purposes of the fund as defined in this 19 section and depositing them into such fund according to law. 20 3. On or before the first day of February each year, the comptroller 21 shall certify to the governor, temporary president of the senate, speak- 22 er of the assembly, minority leader of the senate, minority leader of 23 the assembly, chair of the senate finance committee, ranking minority 24 member of the senate finance committee, chair of the assembly ways and 25 means committee and ranking minority member of the assembly ways and 26 means committee, the amount of money deposited in such fund. 27 4. Moneys in such fund shall be kept separate and shall not be commin- 28 gled with any other moneys in the custody of the commissioner of taxa- 29 tion and finance and the comptroller. 30 5. All payments from such fund shall be made by the department of 31 taxation and finance after audit and warrant of the comptroller on 32 vouchers approved by the commissioner of education. 33 6. The monies from this fund shall be distributed by the commissioner 34 of education to graduate students in all sectors to pursue scientific 35 research related to their graduate or doctoral studies. Each graduate 36 student, selected using criteria to be established by the department of 37 education, shall be eligible to receive up to twenty thousand dollars. 38 Such award shall be to help such students secure incubator space and pay 39 for costs associated with development and construction of scientific 40 prototypes. Such awards shall be granted on a competitive basis and 41 shall be available to individuals only once. 42 § 8. Section 210-B of the tax law is amended by adding a new subdivi- 43 sion 52 to read as follows: 44 52. Microscope fund tax credit. A taxpayer shall be allowed a credit 45 against the tax imposed by this article. The amount of the credit shall 46 be equal to fifty percent of the sum of the following investments and 47 contributions made during the taxable year and certified by the commis- 48 sioner of education for taxable years beginning on and after January 49 first, two thousand eighteen, contributions in the form of donations 50 made to the microscope fund established pursuant to section 51 eighty-nine-i of the state finance law. The amount of such credit allow- 52 able to a taxpayer under this subdivision shall not exceed twenty-five 53 thousand dollars. 54 § 9. The commissioner of education shall create and sponsor a science 55 fair intended to lead the nation in participation and prizes awarded. 56 Such fair shall be designed to challenge and inspire the state's bright-S. 4349 4 1 est and most inventive high school students to attempt to solve a timely 2 societal challenge, such as our reliance on fossil fuels. After the 3 challenge is announced in September, each participating high school will 4 have six months to solve the problem and host a science fair to be held 5 by February, qualifying one team for the regional competition. The team 6 will win a $2,500 award to aid with additional costs of the project and 7 travel expenses. Each award shall be presented by the school's state 8 senate representative and assembly representative. Each winning team 9 will then compete in one of 10 regional competitions. Each region shall 10 qualify the three top teams to compete in the final state competition to 11 be held in Albany in the spring. The awards for the 30 teams competing 12 in the final: 13 First Place: The New Edison Medal presented by the governor, $500,000 14 to the winning high school, $5,000 to each team member to be used for 15 attending a New York state college, and an agreement that seventy-five 16 percent of the award to the school be used to improve math, science and 17 technology programs at the school. 18 Second Place: $50,000 for the high school, $2,000 for each team member 19 to be used for attending a New York state college, and an agreement that 20 seventy-five percent of the award to the school be used to improve math, 21 science and technology programs at the school. 22 Third Place and Fourth Place: $10,000 for the high school, and $500 23 for each team member to be used for attending a New York state college. 24 § 10. Commission on science, math and technology. 1. There is hereby 25 established a temporary state commission on science, math and technolo- 26 gy. The commission shall investigate and make recommendations regarding 27 strengthening science, math and technology education throughout the 28 state; including, but not limited to, identifying ways to utilize guid- 29 ance counselors as a means of encouraging careers and activities for 30 grades six through twelve that are geared toward math, science and tech- 31 nology. 32 2. The commission shall report each year to the governor, temporary 33 president of the senate, minority leader of the senate, speaker of the 34 assembly and the minority leader of the assembly as to engaging elemen- 35 tary school children in the study of math, science and technology; iden- 36 tifying internships and fellowships for middle school through college 37 age students in high-tech areas; and designing curriculum for kindergar- 38 ten through twelve and higher education in the science, math and tech- 39 nology areas. 40 3. The commissioner of education or his or her designee shall chair 41 the commission. In addition, the governor shall appoint three members; 42 one representative of private schools, one representative of public 43 schools and one representative of private industry, the temporary presi- 44 dent of the senate, the speaker of the assembly and the comptroller 45 shall each appoint one member of the commission. 46 4. The members of the commission shall not be compensated for their 47 service but shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses 48 in providing such service. 49 5. The department of education and any other state agency shall, if 50 called upon, provide the members with cooperation, information and staff 51 support. 52 § 11. The sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000), or so much thereof 53 as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the foundation fund from 54 any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund to the credit of 55 the state purposes account not otherwise appropriated for the purposes 56 of carrying out the provisions of section seven of this act. Such sumS. 4349 5 1 shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the state comptroller on 2 vouchers certified or approved by the commissioner of education, or his 3 or her duly designated representative in the manner provided by law. No 4 expenditure shall be made from this appropriation until a certificate of 5 approval of availability shall have been issued by the director of the 6 budget and filed with the state comptroller and a copy filed with the 7 chairman of the senate finance committee and the chairman of the assem- 8 bly ways and means committee. Such certificate may be amended from time 9 to time by the director of the budget and a copy of each such amendment 10 shall be filed with the state comptroller, the chairman of the senate 11 finance committee and the chairman of the assembly ways and means 12 committee. 13 § 12. This act shall take effect January 1, 2018. The commissioner of 14 education shall immediately develop necessary guidelines and promulgate 15 necessary rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this act 16 on or before such effective date.
