Bill > A03574

This bill creates a volunteer firefighter scholarship program designed to reward and incentivize volunteer firefighters in New York state by offering student loan assistance. Specifically, volunteer firefighters who attend at least 25% of emergency calls for eight consecutive years will be eligible to receive a scholarship award equal to four times the current State University of New York (SUNY) tuition rate. The scholarship can be used to pay off student loans from either a New York state college or trade school, with the state paying the interest on the loans for eight years and potentially covering any remaining principal up to the award amount. To qualify, participants must continue to serve as an active volunteer firefighter, submit annual verification of their emergency call participation, and agree to reside exclusively in New York state during the eight-year period. The bill also establishes a dedicated volunteer firefighter scholarship fund, initially seeded with $1 million from the state treasury, to finance these awards. The program includes provisions for waivers in extreme circumstances like disability or family emergencies and allows the office of higher education to create detailed rules for implementing the scholarship, including potentially using a lottery system if funding is insufficient to meet all applicants' needs.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A3574