Education

passed · New York · Senate Feb 26, 2026

S 378: Relates to higher education funding opportunities for foster youth

Directs the education department and OCFS to prepare posters and pamphlets with information regarding higher education funding opportunities for foster youth.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationDirects preparation of materials to inform foster youth about existing higher education funding opportunities, enhancing educational access for a vulnerable population.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · New York · Senate Feb 25, 2026

S 6227: Provides that the commissioner of education may promulgate rules and regulations for a health education curriculum to include menstrual disorders

Provides that the commissioner of education may promulgate rules and regulations for a health education curriculum to include menstrual disorders, including but not limited to, endometriosis.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands health curriculum requirements to include menstrual disorders, enhancing student health education content and aligning with curriculum improvement indicators.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates inclusion of menstrual disorders in school health curriculum, advancing health education awareness for women's health conditions.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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signed · New York · Assembly Feb 13, 2026

A 9479: Relates to the mechanical insulation energy savings program

This bill establishes a program to help school districts and eligible public buildings (like housing or hospitals) with structures over 20,000 square feet reduce energy costs through mechanical insulation upgrades. It requires free, qualified energy audits to identify needed insulation work and provides competitive grants covering 50% to 75% of approved insulation costs for HVAC systems, piping, and equipment. Grants are issued on a first-come basis after an approved audit, with the program to be implemented within one year of enactment. The law defines specific requirements for qualified contractors and insulation standards to ensure energy savings.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides state grants covering 50-75% of insulation costs for public buildings, increasing government spending on infrastructure energy efficiency programs.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill provides grants for school district energy efficiency upgrades, reducing operational costs and supporting school infrastructure, a key aspect of education funding and facilities.85% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyBill provides grants for insulation upgrades to reduce energy costs in public buildings, directly advancing energy efficiency through funding and mandatory audits.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · New York · Assembly Feb 13, 2026

A 9476: Relates to the veterans tuition awards program; repealer

This bill expands New York's veterans tuition awards program by allowing qualified veterans to transfer unused benefits to eligible family members, including spouses, children, or financially dependent survivors. It defines "eligible immediate family member" and sets key rules: transfers are one-time only, children receiving benefits must be under 26, and annual transfers are capped at 100. Veterans must formally designate beneficiaries through a prescribed process, and transfers cannot exceed the original award amount. The changes take effect in 2027, building on prior legislative proposals to enhance support for veterans' families.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands higher education access by allowing veterans to transfer tuition benefits to family members, increasing educational opportunity under the veterans' program.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransExpands veterans' tuition benefits by enabling transfer to family members, strengthening program access and support for veterans' families.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

passed · New York · Senate Feb 11, 2026

S 317: Requires anti-bias training for every medical student, medical resident and physician assistant student in the state

Requires anti-bias training for every medical student, medical resident and physician assistant student in the state; requires the department of health to make an annual report on the implementation and effectiveness of such training.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates anti-bias training for medical students in higher education, enhancing curriculum standards within educational institutions.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires anti-bias training for medical students/residents to improve equitable care delivery, aligning with patient access and rights protections in healthcare policy.85% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

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died · New York · Senate Feb 10, 2026

S 1111: Creates a single, streamlined process whereby combination pre-kindergarten and daycare programs may be certified to operate

Creates a single, streamlined process whereby a facility or program operating both a pre-kindergarten program and a daycare program may apply for and receive any certification, licensing, or other requirement otherwise necessary to operate a pre-kindergarten program or daycare program under the laws of the state.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationStreamlines certification for combined pre-K/daycare programs, reducing administrative barriers and expanding access to early childhood education services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · New York · Senate Feb 5, 2026

S 1731: Renames an office of addiction services and supports scholarship program the NYS Father Peter Young Memorial Addiction Professionals Scholarship Program

Renames an office of addiction services and supports scholarship program the "NYS Father Peter Young Memorial Addiction Professionals Scholarship Program"; codifies the purposes of such program as offering financial education assistance to individuals pursuing a bachelor's degree in addiction studies or the education requirements for an office of addiction services and supports credential at Alfred State College, Stony Brook University or Empire State University.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides scholarship funding for bachelor's degrees in addiction studies at state universities, expanding higher education access for specific degree programs.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · New York · Senate Feb 5, 2026

S 2505: Establishes a task force on educator diversity in New York state

Establishes a task force to conduct a comprehensive study on the presence of educator diversity in the state, state actions taken to promote educator diversity, and how the state can encourage new initiatives to enhance and promote educator diversity in New York; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes task force to study and promote educator diversity, directly supporting initiatives to enhance teacher diversity in schools.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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died · New York · Senate Jan 29, 2026

S 1683: Enacts the "public university emergency contraception education act"

Enacts the "public university emergency contraception education act" requiring public universities to develop, produce and distribute informational materials related to emergency contraception.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates public universities to distribute emergency contraception educational materials, expanding access to health education resources under higher education, directly supporting educational access.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires public universities to distribute emergency contraception education materials, improving access to reproductive health information and services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 28, 2026

S 8805: Relates to the veterans tuition awards program; repealer

This bill expands New York's veterans tuition awards program by allowing qualified veterans to transfer unused education benefits to eligible family members. It directly affects veterans who served at least 10 years (with exceptions for certain discharges) but didn't use their full tuition benefit, enabling them to transfer it to a spouse, child, or surviving financial dependent who lives in New York. Key provisions include requiring children receiving transfers to be under 26, capping annual transfers at 100, and establishing application rules for the transfer process. The bill repeals outdated language about "survivor" definitions and updates eligibility terms to clarify who qualifies for these transferred benefits.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands higher education access for veterans' families by transferring unused tuition benefits, directly increasing educational funding and opportunity.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill expands veterans' tuition benefits by enabling transfer of unused education awards to family members, directly strengthening program accessibility and benefits for veterans.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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