Modifies the requirements for the New York state science, technology, engineering and mathematics incentive program for when an award gets converted to a student loan.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6329
SPONSOR: Woerner TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to requirements for the
New York state science, technology, engineering and mathematics incen-
tive program
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to further encourage STEM employees to
remain in NYS by modifying the science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) incentive program to permit recipients to complete
five years of full time equivalent STEM employment within the state
within 8 years from completion of a STEM undergraduate degree program.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Provides for the equivalent of five years of full time STEM
employment within eight years of completion of a STEM undergraduate
degree program. Section 2: Establishes the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
The New York science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
incentive program provides tuition awards to students who are New York
State residents attending a public or private degree-granting college or
university located in New York State. Recipients must be in the top 10
percent of students in their high school graduation class, pursue an
approved, two- or four-year STEM degree program, and agree to live in
New York State and work full-time in a STEM field in New York State for
five years after graduation.
To be eligible for the incentive program, applicants must agree to repay
the amounts disbursed plus interest if they fail to complete five years
of continuous, full-time employment in an approved STEM occupation with
a public or private entity located within New York State upon completion
of their undergraduate degree program. Despite best efforts, many
students have been unable to find full-time employment within a STEM
field for five continuous years after graduation. The COVID-19 pandemic
certainly exacerbated those efforts. This bill provides flexibility
within the program's post-graduate employment requirement to enable
individuals to remain in NYS to complete their program service require-
ments by completing five years of full-time equivalent STEM employment
within 8 years of completing their undergraduate degree. By doing so,
this bill promotes the intent of section 669-e by further enabling STEM
graduates to successfully meet the grant terms.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: A4050 - Referred to Higher Education.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6329
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 4, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requirements for the
New York state science, technology, engineering and mathematics incen-
tive program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 669-e of the education law, as
2 amended by section 1 of part BB of chapter 56 of the laws of 2018, is
3 amended to read as follows:
4 4. The corporation shall convert to a student loan the full amount of
5 the award given pursuant to this section, plus interest, according to a
6 schedule to be determined by the corporation if: (a) a recipient fails
7 to complete an approved undergraduate program in science, technology,
8 engineering or mathematics or changes majors to a program of undergradu-
9 ate study other than in science, technology, engineering or mathematics;
10 or (b) upon completion of such undergraduate degree program a recipient
11 fails to either (i) complete the equivalent of five years of [contin-
12 uous] full time employment in the science, technology, engineering or
13 mathematics field with a public or private entity located within New
14 York state within eight years of completing such undergraduate degree
15 program, or (ii) maintain residency in New York state [for] during such
16 recipient's period of qualifying employment in the science, technology,
17 engineering or mathematics field; or (c) a recipient fails to respond to
18 requests by the corporation for the status of [his or her] their academ-
19 ic or professional progress. The terms and conditions of this subdivi-
20 sion shall be deferred for individuals who graduate with a degree in an
21 approved undergraduate program in science, technology, engineering or
22 mathematics and enroll on at least a half-time basis in a graduate or
23 higher degree program or other professional licensure degree program
24 until they are conferred a degree, and shall also be deferred for any
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10256-01-5
A. 6329 2
1 interruption in undergraduate study or employment as established by the
2 rules and regulations of the corporation. The terms and conditions of
3 this subdivision may also be deferred for a grace period, to be estab-
4 lished by the corporation, following the completion of an approved
5 undergraduate program in science, technology, engineering or mathematics
6 a graduate or higher degree program or other professional licensure
7 degree program. Any obligation to comply with such provisions as
8 outlined in this section shall be cancelled upon the death of the recip-
9 ient. Notwithstanding any provisions of this subdivision to the contra-
10 ry, the corporation is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to
11 provide for the waiver or suspension of any financial obligation which
12 would involve extreme hardship.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
