Bill > S08568

This bill expands eligibility for the New York State veterans tuition awards program to include recipients of the Purple Heart military decoration. Specifically, the bill defines a "Purple Heart recipient" as someone who has been awarded the Purple Heart under specific sections of U.S. federal law (10 U.S.C. § 1129 or 10 U.S.C. § 1129-a). The tuition awards program will now allow Purple Heart recipients, in addition to existing eligible veterans from Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and other conflicts, to receive tuition assistance for undergraduate or graduate degree programs, or approved vocational training programs. Recipients can access tuition awards for up to eight full-time semesters, consistent with the existing program's structure. The bill aims to provide additional educational support to service members who have been wounded in combat, as recognized by the Purple Heart award, by giving them access to state-funded tuition assistance. The legislation would take effect immediately upon passage.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8568