Establishes the mental health educational opportunity program and the mental health higher educational opportunity program to provide additional educational opportunities for students at certain universities and colleges in the state to enroll in academic programs that lead to a degree or degrees required for licensure in any of the mental health professions.
Provides that beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, certain graduate students shall be required to pay 25% of all current and future mandatory university fees; provides that in the 2027-2028 academic year and thereafter, no mandatory university fees shall be charged, with the exclusion of the graduate student association student activity fee.
This bill repeals a requirement that students without lawful immigration status must file affidavits stating they have applied to legalize their status or will do so when eligible. It directly affects undocumented students attending New York State educational institutions by removing this administrative paperwork obligation. The bill eliminates specific provisions in the Education Law (sections 661, 6206, 6301, and 6455) that previously mandated these affidavits. The change simplifies enrollment processes for affected students without altering immigration status eligibility.
Bill S 7777 mandates triennial lead testing of potable water in all school districts and boards of cooperative educational services. If lead contamination exceeds action levels, affected schools must implement a "filter-first drinking water management plan" by December 2026. This plan requires installing filtered bottle-filling stations (one per 100 occupants) and filtered faucets where stations are not feasible, along with regular filter replacement and shutting off unfiltered outlets for human consumption. Schools must also provide safe drinking water until remediation is complete, notify parents of test results, and make all testing data publicly available.
Relates to making a city school district in a city having a population of one million or more eligible for transitional aid for charter school payments.
Establishes the "SNAP for students act" requiring the office of temporary and disability assistance to create informational materials to provide information regarding student eligibility for SNAP benefits and to provide digital versions of such materials to institutions of higher education in the state; requires institutions of higher education to notify students of their potential eligibility for SNAP benefits.
Establishes the New York nurse expansion program which provides awards to undergraduate students who are matriculated in an approved undergraduate program leading to a career in nursing at a New York state public or private degree granting institution of higher education.
Improves the transportation of children with special needs to and from school; provides that bussing time shall not exceed one and one-half hours; provides a special needs liaison to work with each family with a child with special needs; makes related provisions.
Establishes school based health centers to be organized through school, community, and health provider relationships and provide services in keeping with state and local laws and regulations, as well as established medical standards, and best practices.
This bill (S 8218, now Chapter 567) modifies how interest costs are calculated for bonds financing Rochester school rehabilitation or reconstruction projects. It establishes a specific formula for determining the interest rate used to calculate state aid for these projects, requiring cities to provide annual interest rate analyses to the education commissioner. The bill ensures that refunding bond savings (from refinancing existing school debt) must be used solely for new eligible school projects. It directly affects Rochester schools, the Monroe Industrial Development Agency, and the State Dormitory Authority in administering school facility funding. The law clarifies the process for calculating interest costs to align with state funding formulas for school modernization programs.
