S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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10288
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 20, 2026
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Introduced by M. of A. ALVAREZ -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing an emer-
gency aid grant program to allow the state university of New York or
the city university of New York to provide emergency aid grants to
certain students
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 6301 of the education law is amended by adding two
new subdivisions 7 and 8 to read as follows:
7. "EMERGENCY AID GRANT". A GRANT PROVIDED TO AN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT
ATTENDING A COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS
SECTION AND SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY OF THIS CHAP-
TER, AND DETERMINED BY SUCH COLLEGE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH GRANT, WHO,
DUE TO UNEXPECTED OR UNFORESEEN EVENTS, REQUIRES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
FOR EXPENSES WHICH MAY INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO FOOD, CLOTHING,
HOUSING, COURSE MATERIALS, TECHNOLOGY, TRANSPORTATION, MEDICAL EXPENSES,
OR CHILD CARE. AN EMERGENCY AID GRANT SHALL NOT BE USED TO PAY OUTSTAND-
ING TUITION OR FEES OR FOR THE REPAYMENT OF STUDENT LOANS.
8. "EMERGENCY AID GRANT PROGRAM". THE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO
SECTION SIXTY-THREE HUNDRED TWELVE OF THIS ARTICLE WHEREIN A COMMUNITY
COLLEGE PROVIDES EMERGENCY AID GRANTS TO STUDENTS AND FOR WHICH THE
STATE PROVIDES ANNUAL MATCHING FUNDS TO SUCH COLLEGE.
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6312 to read
as follows:
§ 6312. EMERGENCY AID GRANT MATCHING PROGRAM. 1. EACH COMMUNITY
COLLEGE ESTABLISHED AND OPERATED PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
ARTICLE SHALL ESTABLISH AN EMERGENCY AID GRANT PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS
DEEMED ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH EMERGENCY AID. THE STATE SHALL PROVIDE EACH
COMMUNITY COLLEGE AN APPROPRIATION EQUAL TO ONE-HALF OF ALL GRANTS
DISBURSED OR TO BE DISBURSED IN SUCH PROGRAM, PROVIDED THAT SUCH APPRO-
PRIATION SHALL NOT EXCEED TWELVE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS PER STUDENT WHO
RECEIVED OR WILL RECEIVE AN EMERGENCY AID GRANT AND SHALL NOT EXCEED
MORE THAN SIXTY-TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS PER COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14398-02-6
A. 10288 2
2. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MAY ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS, AS SUCH BOARD
DEEMS NECESSARY, FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO ACCESS THE MATCHING FUNDS
PROVIDED BY THE STATE PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION,
PROVIDED THAT:
A. EMERGENCY AID GRANTS SHALL NOT BE USED TO COVER ANY OUTSTANDING
TUITION OR FEES OWED TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK;
B. EMERGENCY AID GRANTS SHALL NOT BE TREATED AS INCOME FOR THE
PURPOSES OF CALCULATING FINANCIAL AID OFFERS OR AWARDS OR WHEN DETERMIN-
ING ANY EXPECTED STUDENT AND/OR FAMILY CONTRIBUTION; AND
C. COMMUNITY COLLEGES SHALL DEMONSTRATE, TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE
BOARD, THAT, AS A COMPONENT OF A CAMPUS EMERGENCY AID GRANT PROGRAM,
SUCH COLLEGE HAS OTHER SUFFICIENT RESOURCES AND SERVICES AVAILABLE TO
SUPPORT STUDENTS EXPERIENCING FINANCIAL DISTRESS.
3. WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF THE CONCLUSION OF EVERY ACADEMIC YEAR, EACH
COMMUNITY COLLEGE SHALL SUBMIT THE NECESSARY DATA PRESCRIBED IN SECTION
SIX HUNDRED SEVENTY-NINE-K OF THIS CHAPTER TO THE NEW YORK STATE HIGHER
EDUCATION SERVICES CORPORATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE REPORT REQUIRED
BY SUCH SECTION.
§ 3. Section 350 of the education law is amended by adding two new
subdivisions 14 and 15 to read as follows:
14. "EMERGENCY AID GRANT" MEANS A GRANT PROVIDED TO AN UNDERGRADUATE
STUDENT ATTENDING A STATE-OPERATED INSTITUTION, AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVI-
SION FOUR OF THIS SECTION, AND DETERMINED BY SUCH INSTITUTION TO BE
ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH GRANT, WHO, DUE TO UNEXPECTED OR UNFORESEEN EVENTS,
REQUIRES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR EXPENSES WHICH MAY INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT
LIMITED TO FOOD, CLOTHING, HOUSING, COURSE MATERIALS, TECHNOLOGY, TRANS-
PORTATION, MEDICAL EXPENSES, OR CHILD CARE. AN EMERGENCY AID GRANT SHALL
NOT BE USED TO PAY OUTSTANDING TUITION OR FEES OR FOR THE REPAYMENT OF
STUDENT LOANS.
15. "EMERGENCY AID GRANT PROGRAM" MEANS THE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSU-
ANT TO SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIFTY-FIVE-F OF THIS ARTICLE WHEREIN A
STATE-OPERATED INSTITUTION PROVIDES EMERGENCY AID GRANTS TO STUDENTS AND
FOR WHICH THE STATE PROVIDES ANNUAL MATCHING FUNDS TO SUCH INSTITUTION.
§ 4. The education law is amended by adding a new section 355-f to
read as follows:
§ 355-F. EMERGENCY AID GRANT MATCHING PROGRAM. 1. EACH STATE-OPERATED
INSTITUTION SHALL ESTABLISH AN EMERGENCY AID GRANT PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS
DEEMED ELIGIBLE BY SUCH INSTITUTION FOR SUCH EMERGENCY AID. THE STATE
SHALL PROVIDE EACH INSTITUTION WITH AN APPROPRIATION EQUAL TO ONE-HALF
OF ALL GRANTS DISBURSED OR TO BE DISBURSED IN SUCH PROGRAM, PROVIDED
THAT SUCH APPROPRIATION SHALL NOT EXCEED TWELVE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS
PER STUDENT WHO RECEIVED OR WILL RECEIVE AN EMERGENCY AID GRANT AND
SHALL NOT EXCEED MORE THAN SIXTY-TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS PER
STATE-OPERATED INSTITUTION.
2. THE STATE UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES MAY ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS, AS SUCH
TRUSTEES DEEM NECESSARY, FOR STATE-OPERATED INSTITUTIONS TO ACCESS THE
MATCHING FUNDS PROVIDED BY THE STATE PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS
SECTION, PROVIDED THAT:
A. EMERGENCY AID GRANTS SHALL NOT BE USED TO COVER ANY OUTSTANDING
TUITION OR FEES OWED TO THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK;
B. EMERGENCY AID GRANTS SHALL NOT BE TREATED AS INCOME FOR THE
PURPOSES OF CALCULATING FINANCIAL AID OFFERS OR AWARDS OR WHEN DETERMIN-
ING ANY EXPECTED STUDENT AND/OR FAMILY CONTRIBUTION; AND
C. STATE-OPERATED INSTITUTIONS SHALL DEMONSTRATE, TO THE SATISFACTION
OF THE TRUSTEES, THAT, AS A COMPONENT OF A CAMPUS EMERGENCY AID GRANT
A. 10288 3
PROGRAM, SUCH INSTITUTION HAS OTHER SUFFICIENT RESOURCES AND SERVICES
AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS EXPERIENCING FINANCIAL DISTRESS.
3. WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF THE CONCLUSION OF EVERY ACADEMIC YEAR, EACH
STATE-OPERATED INSTITUTION SHALL SUBMIT THE NECESSARY DATA PRESCRIBED IN
SECTION SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY-NINE-B OF THIS TITLE TO THE NEW YORK STATE
HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES CORPORATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE REPORT
REQUIRED BY SUCH SECTION.
§ 5. Section 6202 of the education law is amended by adding two new
subdivisions 10 and 11 to read as follows:
10. THE TERM "EMERGENCY AID GRANT" SHALL MEAN A GRANT PROVIDED TO AN
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT ATTENDING A COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AS DEFINED IN
SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS SECTION, OR A SENIOR COLLEGE, AS DEFINED IN
SUBDIVISION FIVE OF THIS SECTION, AND DETERMINED BY SUCH COLLEGE TO BE
ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH GRANT, WHO, DUE TO UNEXPECTED OR UNFORESEEN EVENTS,
REQUIRES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR EXPENSES WHICH MAY INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT
LIMITED TO FOOD, CLOTHING, HOUSING, COURSE MATERIALS, TECHNOLOGY, TRANS-
PORTATION, MEDICAL EXPENSES, OR CHILD CARE. AN EMERGENCY AID GRANT SHALL
NOT BE USED TO PAY OUTSTANDING TUITION OR FEES OR FOR THE REPAYMENT OF
STUDENT LOANS.
11. THE TERM "EMERGENCY AID GRANT PROGRAM" SHALL MEAN THE PROGRAM
ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION SIXTY-TWO HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE OF THIS
ARTICLE WHEREIN A COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR SENIOR COLLEGE PROVIDES EMERGENCY
AID GRANTS TO STUDENTS AND FOR WHICH THE STATE PROVIDES ANNUAL MATCHING
FUNDS TO SUCH COLLEGE.
§ 6. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6235 to read
as follows:
§ 6235. EMERGENCY AID GRANT MATCHING PROGRAM. 1. EACH COMMUNITY
COLLEGE AND SENIOR COLLEGE SHALL ESTABLISH AN EMERGENCY AID GRANT
PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS DEEMED ELIGIBLE BY SUCH COLLEGE FOR SUCH EMERGENCY
AID. THE STATE SHALL PROVIDE EACH COLLEGE WITH AN APPROPRIATION EQUAL TO
ONE-HALF OF ALL GRANTS DISBURSED OR TO BE DISBURSED IN SUCH PROGRAM,
PROVIDED THAT SUCH APPROPRIATION SHALL NOT EXCEED TWELVE HUNDRED FIFTY
DOLLARS PER STUDENT WHO RECEIVED OR WILL RECEIVE AN EMERGENCY AID GRANT
AND SHALL NOT EXCEED MORE THAN SIXTY-TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS
PER COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR SENIOR COLLEGE.
2. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION
SIXTY-TWO HUNDRED TWO OF THIS ARTICLE, MAY ESTABLISH REQUIREMENTS, AS
SUCH BOARD DEEMS NECESSARY, FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND SENIOR COLLEGES
TO ACCESS THE MATCHING FUNDS PROVIDED BY THE STATE PURSUANT TO SUBDIVI-
SION ONE OF THIS SECTION, PROVIDED THAT:
A. EMERGENCY AID GRANTS SHALL NOT BE USED TO COVER ANY OUTSTANDING
TUITION OR FEES OWED TO THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK;
B. EMERGENCY AID GRANTS SHALL NOT BE TREATED AS INCOME FOR THE
PURPOSES OF CALCULATING FINANCIAL AID OFFERS OR AWARDS OR WHEN DETERMIN-
ING ANY EXPECTED STUDENT AND/OR FAMILY CONTRIBUTION; AND
C. A COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR SENIOR COLLEGE SHALL DEMONSTRATE, TO THE
SATISFACTION OF THE BOARD, THAT, AS A COMPONENT OF A CAMPUS EMERGENCY
AID GRANT PROGRAM, SUCH COLLEGE HAS OTHER SUFFICIENT RESOURCES AND
SERVICES AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS EXPERIENCING FINANCIAL DISTRESS.
D. WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF THE CONCLUSION OF EVERY ACADEMIC YEAR, EACH
COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND SENIOR COLLEGE SHALL SUBMIT THE NECESSARY DATA
PRESCRIBED IN SECTION SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY-NINE-B OF THIS CHAPTER TO THE
NEW YORK STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES CORPORATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF
THE REPORT REQUIRED BY SUCH SECTION.
§ 7. The education law is amended by adding a new section 689-b to
read as follows:
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§ 689-B. ANNUAL REPORT ON THE EMERGENCY AID GRANT MATCHING PROGRAM. 1.
THE CORPORATION SHALL COLLECT FROM EACH COMMUNITY COLLEGE AS DEFINED IN
SUBDIVISION TWO OF SECTION SIXTY-THREE HUNDRED ONE OF THIS CHAPTER,
STATE-OPERATED INSTITUTION AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION FOUR OF SECTION
THREE HUNDRED FIFTY OF THIS TITLE, COMMUNITY COLLEGE AS DEFINED IN
SUBDIVISION FOUR OF SECTION SIXTY-TWO HUNDRED TWO OF THIS CHAPTER, AND
SENIOR COLLEGE AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION FIVE OF SECTION SIXTY-TWO
HUNDRED TWO OF THIS CHAPTER, THE FOLLOWING DATA ON EACH SUCH COLLEGE OR
INSTITUTION'S EMERGENCY AID GRANT PROGRAMS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS:
(A) THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS AT EACH CAMPUS WHO RECEIVED FUNDS THROUGH
THE EMERGENCY AID GRANT PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED IN SECTION THREE HUNDRED
FIFTY-FIVE-F OF THIS TITLE AND SECTIONS SIXTY-THREE HUNDRED TWELVE AND
SIXTY-TWO HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE OF THIS CHAPTER, AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF
GRANTS AWARDED;
(B) THE AVERAGE DOLLAR AMOUNT PROVIDED TO EACH STUDENT PURSUANT TO
SUCH PROGRAM;
(C) THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED AN EMERGENCY AID GRANT WHO
ARE STILL ENROLLED IN THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK OR THE STATE
UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, AND THE PERCENTAGE WHO ARE NOT ENROLLED IN SUCH
UNIVERSITIES;
(D) THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED AN EMERGENCY AID GRANT WHO
HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A DEGREE PROGRAM AT THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF
NEW YORK OR THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK;
(E) POST-GRADUATION OUTCOMES OF STUDENTS RECEIVING EMERGENCY AID
GRANTS INCLUDING FURTHER EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND WAGES, TO THE EXTENT
SUCH INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE TO THE CORPORATION; PROVIDED THAT SUCH
DATA IS PRESENTED IN AN ANONYMIZED AND AGGREGATED FORMAT;
(F) OTHER INFORMATION DEEMED NECESSARY BY THE CORPORATION TO EVALUATE
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EMERGENCY AID GRANT PROGRAM.
2. NO LATER THAN THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE CORPORATION RECEIVES SUCH
INFORMATION FROM COMMUNITY COLLEGES, STATE-OPERATED INSTITUTIONS, AND
SENIOR COLLEGES, THE CORPORATION SHALL COMPILE SUCH INFORMATION INTO AN
ANNUAL REPORT TO BE PUBLISHED ON THE CORPORATION'S WEBSITE AND TRANSMIT-
TED TO THE GOVERNOR, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE TEMPORARY PRESI-
DENT OF THE SENATE, AND THE CHAIRS OF THE SENATE HIGHER EDUCATION
COMMITTEE AND THE ASSEMBLY HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE.
3. THE CORPORATION IS AUTHORIZED TO PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS
TO EFFECTUATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
§ 8. This act shall take effect August 1, 2027 and shall apply to the
academic year next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a
law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment, and/or repeal of
any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on
its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before
such effective date.