Bill > S06155

This bill modifies the Excelsior Scholarship program to allow for a modest annual income increase for recipients without disqualifying them from the scholarship. Currently, the Excelsior Scholarship provides tuition-free college at New York state public institutions for students meeting specific income and academic criteria. The bill introduces a provision that permits a recipient's maximum allowable adjusted gross income to automatically increase by three percent after their first scholarship semester, with potential for additional increases at the discretion of the scholarship corporation. The bill also makes minor gender-neutral language changes, replacing "his or her" with "their" throughout the text. The income thresholds for initial scholarship eligibility remain unchanged (ranging from $100,000 to $125,000 depending on the academic year), but the new provision provides flexibility for recipients whose income might incrementally rise due to career progression or other factors. This change aims to prevent students from losing their scholarship due to modest income increases that do not substantially change their financial need.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S6155