Legislative Update - July 1, 2008

The Legislature adjourned last week in keeping with their planned schedule. Over 800 individual bills were approved by both the Senate and Assembly during the session thus far. The Senate has indicated that they will return this summer to take up some issues that the Assembly has already approved in addition to confirming appointments submitted by the Governor. There were several significant issues of importance to SUNY that are currently pending final action by the Governor.

Supported by SUNY:

A.8535-A Bradley
S.5987-A Leibell
Authorizes the lease of lands located at the state university of New York at Purchase for a senior learning community with the residents of the senior learning community interacting with the College by enrolling in courses offered by Purchase College, becoming members of the Neuberger Museum of Art and members of The Performing Arts Center of the College.

S.7952-A Flanagan
A.11099-A Englebright
Authorizes the state university of New York at Stony Brook to lease certain lands for the construction of a new academic Center for Geometry and Physics.

S.3063-A LaValle
A.8167-A Glick
Enacts the "textbook access act" to ensure that college students in New York State have better access to affordable textbooks.

S.5635-A LaValle
A.11438 Alessi
Authorizes the issuance of a one-time or annual permit to an institution of higher education to have alcoholic beverages delivered for a class or course.

Opposed by SUNY:

S.6780-B Robach
A.11126-A Abbate
Establishes a procedure for posting and notice of position vacancies for the titles of staff assistant, staff associate, professional staff assistant and professional staff associate for both state operated and community colleges within SUNY.

S.4249 Maltese
A.891 Englebright
Prohibits the state university of New York, the city university of New York and community colleges from licensing their trademarks for use on unlawfully manufactured apparel and requires such educational institutions to disclose certain information regarding licensees of their trademarks.

See also, a complete listing of all legislation impacting SUNY and higher education that has passed both the Assembly and Senate. In addition, there were several issues the did not receive final approval of both houses but remain under discussion in the legislature. These include:

A.7956 Benjamin
S.5560-A Volker
Codifies state university of New York educational opportunity centers which provide an integrated system of education, vocational training and student support services targeted to higher education access and the development of a quality workforce which supports the economic development of New York's distressed communities.
Status: A.7956 Assembly Calendar 547; No Senate consideration

A.11385-A Glick
S.7838-A LaValle
Provides for disclosure of relationships between institutions of higher education and study abroad programs.
Status: S.7838-A Passed Senate; No Assembly consideration

A11122 Destito
No Senate Companion
Includes peace officers at community colleges operating under the program of the state university of New York within the definition of the term "qualified agencies" for access to criminal history background checks.
Status: No Assembly consideration

A.9503-B Englebright
S.6531-B Alesi
Provides for a public health study by the department of health on the use of crumb rubber in synthetic turf.
Status: A.9503-B Assembly Calendar 586; No Senate consideration

A.2607 Canestrari
S.1117 Little
Increases severity of hazing in the second degree from a violation to an E felony where injury or death occurs, and of hazing in the first degree from a class A misdemeanor to a D felony where injury or death is caused by deadly weapon or dangerous instrument; creates new class A misdemeanor of hazing in the third degree which mirrors former hazing in the second degree.
Status: S.1117 Passed Senate; No Assembly consideration

A.8389 Glick
S.3921 LaValle
Enacts the "financial aid disclosure act" requiring institutions of higher education to disclose financial aid policies relating to contributions to be made by such institution, any changes which may result to such financial aid and the reasons therefore and makes board of regents in charge of enforcement.
Status: S.3921 Senate Rules; No Assembly consideration

S.6889-A LaValle
No Assembly Companion
Creates the STRIVE (student tuition relief initiative for valued education) awards program to provide state aid to help pay for tuition and fees for New York state residents who attend a college or university in New York state and whose family's annual net taxable income is less than $150,000.
Status: Reported to Senate Finance

S.7624 LaValle
No Assembly Companion
Creates the I Live New York student loan which would provide low interest loans to New York State residents who enroll fulltime at a college or university in New York State.
Status: Passed Senate

A.5595-A Gottfried
S.7808-A Hannon
Authorizes the provision of optometric services, which are provided by certain diagnostic and treatment centers licensed under article twenty-eight of the public health law and affiliated with the college of optometry of the state university of New York, to recipients of medical assistance for the needy.
Status: A.5595-A Passed Assembly; No Senate consideration

A.5105-A Dinowitz
S.3749-A LaValle
Authorizes the commissioner of education to restrict the sale and advertisement of alcoholic beverages at sporting events participated in by any state university of New York, city university of New York or community college.
Status: No consideration in either Assembly or Senate

A.8150-B McEneny
S.6130-B Robach
Allows state university police officers to transfer to the NYSLPFRS and to be covered by the provisions of a new 25 year half pay retirement plan, with additional one-sixtieths of final average salary for each year of service in excess of twenty-five years, but not exceeding fifteen such years; provides that for tier 2 members, the additional one-sixtieths can not exceed five such years.
Status: A.8150-B Assembly Calendar 555; No Senate consideration

A.5538 Morelle
S.2600 LaValle
Requires colleges to educate the campus community on bias-related crime, hazing, underage drinking and illegal drug use expanding the authority of colleges to regulate conduct by college and student government organizations and clubs, athletic teams and clubs, alumni organizations, fraternities, sororities, and any other organization that has access to and use of the college facilities and requires colleges to adopt rules prohibiting such activities.
Status: S.2600 Passed Senate; No Assembly consideration

A.7269-A Hoyt
S.4337-A LaValle
Enacts the "higher education community service opportunity act" to encourage and promote a program whereby students who have benefited from society's assistance with their post secondary education return their talents to society to assist with pressing human, educational, environmental and public safety concerns.
Status: No consideration in either Assembly or Senate

A.2480 Morelle
S.294 Alesi
Requires registered professional nurses to attain a baccalaureate degree in nursing within ten years of their initial licensure.
Status: No consideration in either Assembly or Senate

A.5568 Englebright
S.3062 Golden
Provides for the establishment of life long learning centers within the state university of New York to provide courses in community colleges and colleges and universities in the state university system for persons 40 years old or older who are seeking to explore life options, remain civically engaged, continue their education and acquire skills for or begin to plan for a second career.
Status: S.3062 reported to Senate Finance Committee; No Assembly consideration

See also, a complete listing of all legislation impacting SUNY and higher education that has been under consideration during the 2008 session.

Please contact our office should you require any additional information regarding anything in this report.

Thanks.

Jim Campbell
Director of Legislative Relations
Office of University Relations
State University of New York
518-443-5148