STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2579 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 21, 2025 ___________ 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 the recruitment incen- tive and retention program for members of the New York state organized militia, reducing the minimum required course load for part-time students and permitting application for the tuition benefit prior to matriculation The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Paragraph e of subdivision 3 of section 669-b of the educa- 2 tion law, as added by chapter 268 of the laws of 1996, is amended to 3 read as follows: 4 e. The term "part-time study" shall mean enrollment in an approved 5 post-secondary degree program for at least [six] three but less than 6 twelve semester hours, or the equivalent per semester, or at least 7 [four] two but less than eight semester hours per quarter in an institu- 8 tion. 9 § 2. Section 669-b of the education law is amended by adding a new 10 subdivision 3-a to read as follows: 11 3-a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general, special, or 12 local law, rule, or regulation, any active member may apply for the 13 tuition benefit provided by this section prior to matriculating at an 14 institution. 15 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to 16 have been in full force and effect on and after April 1, 2025, provided, 17 however, that the amendments to section 669-b of the education law made 18 by sections one and two of this act shall not affect the repeal of such 19 section and shall be deemed repealed therewith. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD06859-01-5