Education (Student Financial Aid)

in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 3296: Relates to establishing the Gold Award and Eagle Scout achievement scholarship

Relates to establishing the Gold Award and Eagle Scout achievement scholarship; authorizes a scholarship of $500 per year for high school graduates attending a New York state public post-secondary institution who have achieved a Gold Award from the Girl Scouts of the United States of America or an Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides $500 annual scholarship for NY students with Gold Award/Eagle Scout achievements attending public colleges, enhancing higher education access and opportunity.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 8372: Establishes the New York state veteran student loan forgiveness program

This bill establishes the New York state veteran student loan forgiveness program, designed to help eligible New York resident veterans reduce their student loan debt. The program offers competitive awards of up to $10,000 annually for a maximum of five years, not exceeding $50,000 total or the applicant's outstanding debt. To qualify, veterans must have graduated from an approved New York state college, be employed full-time in New York, agree to reside in the state for five years, and not have received federal loan forgiveness. Priority for awards will be given to prior recipients, and then to economically disadvantaged applicants or those with a service-connected disability of 40% or higher.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides student loan forgiveness for NY veterans who graduated from state colleges, reducing financial barriers to higher education access and supporting veterans' educational attainment.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransEstablishes veteran loan forgiveness program, providing financial relief through up to $50k debt reduction - directly advances veterans' benefits and financial support95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare

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in committee · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 861: Establishes the New York college debt repayment program

S 861 establishes a New York state program allowing residents to pay off college debt for family members tax-free. It creates tax-deferred accounts where contributions grow without state or federal income tax, and withdrawals for qualified education expenses (like tuition, books, or 2009-2010 computer purchases) are also tax-free. The program requires cash contributions, separate accounting per beneficiary, and limits investment changes to twice yearly. It directly affects New York residents who want to help family members (spouses, children, or cousins) with higher education costs through this state-run debt repayment mechanism.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates tax-free college debt repayment program with tax-deferred accounts and tax-free withdrawals for education expenses, providing direct tax relief through state tax advantages.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates tax-free college debt repayment program, reducing financial barriers for higher education access and directly supporting students/families through tax benefits for education expenses.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New York · Assembly Apr 13, 2026

A 7948: Relates to state financial aid for library social work services

Creates a program to award state financial aid for social work services to be provided in libraries located in economically disadvantaged communities to enhance and expand access to services in places where individuals seek assistance and resources.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates state financial aid for library social work services in disadvantaged communities to expand access to resources, aligning with educational access indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Libraries Student Financial Aid

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died · New York · Senate Jan 7, 2026

S 1991: Relates to including information concerning repayment of outstanding loans in the standard financial aid award letter

This bill requires colleges and universities to include clear, standardized information about student loan repayment in financial aid award letters sent to undergraduate students. Specifically, institutions must detail estimated monthly payments, total payoff amounts (including interest), and standard 10-year repayment terms for any loans in the aid package. The requirement applies to all schools offering approved programs, directly affecting students receiving financial aid by making loan costs more transparent upfront. The Department of Financial Services must create and publish this standardized letter format, including a glossary of terms, by December 2015 (with implementation for the 2016-17 academic year). This change aims to help students understand long-term debt obligations before accepting financial aid.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires transparent loan repayment details in financial aid letters, improving student access to higher education by reducing debt surprises and enabling informed borrowing decisions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 7938: Allows for a modest increase in annual income to not disqualify someone from the excelsior scholarship

Bill A 7938 modifies the income eligibility requirements for the Excelsior Scholarship. It allows students who are already receiving the scholarship to have their maximum allowable adjusted gross income increase by up to three percent after their first semester without being disqualified. The bill also grants the administering corporation discretion to allow further income increases in some cases. This aims to provide flexibility for current scholarship recipients whose family income might slightly increase over time.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands access to higher education funding by preventing disqualification for minor income increases, aligning with support indicators for educational access and scholarship programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4956: Relates to the SUNY Maritime admissions program

Relates to the SUNY Maritime admissions program increasing the number of positions reserved for nomination by the governor and members of the legislature and scholarship under the SUNY Maritime admissions program.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases SUNY Maritime admissions positions and scholarships, enhancing higher education access and funding for students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 4897: Makes provisions with respect to student awards, loans and tuition assistance programs

Requires the higher education services corporation to make a determination of financial eligibility of a student for financial aid, awards and loans within 60 days from the day of the receipt of the financial aid application; where the higher education services corporation fails to make a timely determination the applicant shall be deemed eligible for such aid for the semester for which the application was made; allows for a 30-day extension if notice is given to the educational institution within the initial 60-day period.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires timely financial aid determinations, preventing delays in student access to tuition assistance programs, directly advancing educational access and support.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New York · Assembly Jan 7, 2026

A 1245: Provides for a personal income tax deduction for student loan payments

Provides for a personal income tax deduction for student loan payments not in excess of five thousand dollars; excludes any payment not in excess of five thousand dollars made by an employer, employee, or on behalf of an employee that is directly deducted from the employee's wages through payroll and administered by a third-party platform that facilitates direct payments to educational institutions or related loan servicers on behalf of students such amount from an employee's New York state gross income; further excludes any contribution not to exceed five thousand dollars to a tuition program under section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code made through payroll deduction and facilitated by an employer or a third-party platform that facilitates direct payments to such programs on behalf of employees from the employee's New York state gross income.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax deduction for student loan payments, offering relief to individuals, aligning with tax relief indicators for middle/lower income.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides tax deduction for student loan payments, reducing financial barriers for higher education access and affordability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Student Financial Aid

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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

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

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