STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 376 2017-2018 Regular Sessions IN SENATE (Prefiled) January 4, 2017 ___________ Introduced by Sen. ORTT -- 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 extending certain benefits to active volunteer firefighters and active volunteer ambu- lance workers The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subparagraph 1 of paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section 2 355 of the education law, as separately amended by chapters 552 and 616 3 of the laws of 1985, is amended to read as follows: 4 (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general, special or 5 local law, rule or regulation, such regulations may permit persons sixty 6 years of age or over, or residents who serve as active volunteer fire- 7 fighters as defined in subdivision one of section two hundred fifteen of 8 the general municipal law, or as active volunteer ambulance workers as 9 defined in subdivision fourteen of section two hundred nineteen-k of the 10 general municipal law to audit courses given therein without tuition, 11 examination, grading or credit therefor upon a space available basis, as 12 determined by the president of each such institution, provided that such 13 audit attendance does not deny course attendance at a state-operated 14 institution by an individual who is otherwise qualified under the regu- 15 lations promulgated pursuant to this section. The board of trustees of 16 the state university may prescribe regulations to authorize the granting 17 of course credit for successful completion of an audited course by an 18 active volunteer firefighter or an active volunteer ambulance worker. 19 Pursuant to such regulations, each such institution may, as determined 20 by its president, award credit for successful completion of such an 21 audited course by an active volunteer firefighter or an active volunteer 22 ambulance worker that is currently enrolled as a full-time or part-time EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD03877-01-7

S. 376 2 1 student in such institution or that later becomes enrolled as a full- 2 time or part-time student in such institution. 3 § 2. Subdivision 5 of section 6303 of the education law, as amended by 4 chapter 552 of the laws of 1984, is amended to read as follows: 5 5. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general, special or 6 local law, rule or regulation, community colleges may permit persons 7 sixty years of age or over, or residents who serve as active volunteer 8 firefighters as defined in subdivision one of section two hundred 9 fifteen of the general municipal law, or as active volunteer ambulance 10 workers as defined in subdivision fourteen of section two hundred nine- 11 teen-k of the general municipal law to audit courses given therein with- 12 out tuition, examination, grading or credit therefor upon a space avail- 13 able basis, subject to the provisions of section sixty-three hundred 14 four of this [chapter] article, as determined by the president of each 15 such institution, provided that such audit attendance does not deny 16 course attendance at a community college by an individual who is other- 17 wise qualified under the regulations and the provisions of section 18 sixty-three hundred four of this [chapter] article. The board of trus- 19 tees of the state university may prescribe regulations to authorize the 20 granting of course credit for successful completion of an audited course 21 by an active volunteer firefighter or an active volunteer ambulance 22 worker. Pursuant to such regulations, each such institution may, as 23 determined by its president, award credit for successful completion of 24 such an audited course by an active volunteer firefighter or an active 25 volunteer ambulance worker that is currently enrolled as a full-time or 26 part-time student in such institution or that later becomes enrolled as 27 a full-time or part-time student in such institution. The provisions of 28 this paragraph shall not affect any state aid to community colleges 29 granted pursuant to this article [one hundred twenty-six of this chap- 30 ter]. 31 § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 32 have become a law.