This bill expands New York's Opportunity Promise Scholarship to cover all SUNY and CUNY associate's degree programs that lead to high-demand careers, directly affecting students enrolled in these specific programs. It specifies fields like nursing, cybersecurity, engineering, and green energy as eligible, with the list updated annually by the Department of Labor before each fall term. The change ensures students in approved associate's programs at SUNY/CUNY community colleges or campuses can access the scholarship without restrictions based on program type. The policy takes effect immediately upon enactment.
This bill expands New York's Opportunity Promise Scholarship to cover all SUNY and CUNY community college programs awarding associate's degrees in high-demand fields. It directly affects students enrolled in these programs, including those in fields like nursing, cybersecurity, engineering, and green energy. The key mechanism adds all approved SUNY/CUNY associate degree programs in designated high-demand fields (updated annually by the Department of Labor) to the scholarship's eligibility. The change applies immediately for the 2025-2026 academic year and beyond, broadening access to the scholarship.
This bill creates a tax exemption for sales and installation of geothermal heat pump systems in both residential and commercial buildings. It exempts from sales tax the equipment and installation services for systems that use ground or groundwater for heating, cooling, and hot water - excluding recreational facilities. The exemption applies to residential systems (defined in new paragraph 47) and commercial systems (defined in new subdivision mm) under New York's tax law. Local governments may choose whether to apply these exemptions, as the bill modifies existing tax code provisions to include them.
Prohibits proceeds from the auction or sale of carbon dioxide emission allowances pursuant to New York's participation in the regional greenhouse gas initiative (RGGI) from being transferred into the state general fund; provides that if such proceeds are transferred to the state general fund, they shall be used for the purposes directed by the RGGI.
Directs the department of economic development, in conjunction with the empire state development corporation, to review all contracts entered into or overseen or enforced by the department of economic development and/or the empire state development corporation relating to the leasing of state-owned premises to private parties for the production, manufacture and/or development of solar shingle products, electric vehicle charging networks, advanced driver-assistance systems, and/or supercomputer hardware and to identify and eliminate fraud, abuse or waste by private parties.
Directs state agencies to adopt an embodied carbon decarbonization program; requires the office of general services to issue operational directives and guidance for common construction materials to reduce the amount of embodied carbon in such materials.
Enacts the "sustainable building materials act"; enacts into law components of legislation relating to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in construction; provides a sales tax exemption for certain low-carbon building materials (Part A); establishes a grant program for manufacturers of concrete for environmental product declarations (Part B).
Authorizes the department of motor vehicles to establish a program encouraging persons to scrap such person's petroleum or diesel motor vehicle in favor of a zero emission or electric motor vehicle by providing a five hundred dollar rebate for the purchase of such new zero emission or electric motor vehicle.
Relates to providing secondary school pupils and adults in career education programs access to programs/courses sufficient to comprise a career major in electric vehicle maintenance and repair; establishes the working group on electric vehicle career education achievement.
Requires that any rules or regulations promulgated by the department of environmental conservation pursuant to the climate action fund are subject to a vote of the legislature and must be approved by a majority vote prior to implementation.
