NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A761C
SPONSOR: Carroll R TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to reducing tuition rates
for certain Olympic athletes
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To provide for in-state tuition at public universities and colleges for
Team USA athletes training in New York State.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the education law to define "Team USA athlete" and
stipulates that such individuals will be eligible for in-state tuition
at SUNY institutions.
Section 2 applies these provisions to the City University of New York.
Section 10 establishes the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
New York State has a rich Olympic tradition having hosted the Winter
Olympics at Lake Placid in 1932 and 1980. This bill intends to keep New
York competitive with states such as California, Colorado, and Utah that
provide in-state tuition to US Olympic athletes in training. Offering
this benefit to US Olympic-level athletes will help to further Lake
Placid's reputation and increase the likelihood that US elite athletes
will choose to study in New York while they continue their training.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
TBD
EFFECTIVE DATE:
First of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a
law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
761--C
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. R. CARROLL, JONES -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Higher Education -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee -- again reported from said committee with amendments, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- again
reported from said committee with amendments, ordered reprinted as
amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to reducing tuition rates
for certain Olympic athletes
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Paragraph h of subdivision 2 of section 355 of the educa-
2 tion law is amended by adding a new subparagraph 11 to read as follows:
3 (11) (i) For purposes of this subparagraph, "Team USA athlete" means
4 any student athlete who meets the eligibility standards defined and
5 approved by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and by
6 the national governing body for the sport in which the athlete competes.
7 (ii) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general, special or
8 local law, rule or regulation and pursuant to an appropriation and fund-
9 ing being made for such purpose, such regulations shall further provide
10 that the payment of tuition and fees by any student who is not a resi-
11 dent of New York state shall be paid at a rate or charge no greater than
12 that imposed for students who are residents of this state if such
13 student is enrolled in an institution or educational unit of the state
14 university, is a Team USA athlete, and is training in New York State in
15 an elite level program approved by the United States Olympic and Para-
16 lympic Committee.
17 § 2. Subdivision 7 of section 6206 of the education law is amended by
18 adding a new paragraph (g) to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00386-06-5
A. 761--C 2
1 (g) (i) For purposes of this paragraph, "Team USA athlete" means any
2 student athlete who meets the eligibility standards defined and approved
3 by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and by the
4 national governing body for the sport in which the athlete competes.
5 (ii) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general, special or
6 local law, rule or regulation and pursuant to an appropriation and fund-
7 ing being made for such purpose, the trustees shall further provide that
8 the payment of tuition and fees by any student who is not a resident of
9 New York state shall be paid at a rate or charge no greater than that
10 imposed for students who are residents of this state if such student is
11 enrolled in an institution or educational unit of the city university of
12 New York, is a Team USA athlete, and is training in New York State in an
13 elite level program approved by the United States Olympic and Paralympic
14 Committee.
15 § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
16 the date on which it shall have become a law.
