News from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb
Assembly Office:
933 Legislative Office Building • Albany, NY 12248 • (518) 455-3751
District Offices:
607 West Washington Street • Suite 2 • Geneva, NY 14456 • (315) 781-2030
E-mail:
kolbb@assembly.state.ny.us

For Release: IMMEDIATELY, April 5, 2016
Contact: Michael Fraser, (518) 455-3751 (office); (518) 859-8518 (cell)
Kolb: Higher Education Committee Blocks College Affordability Bills
'On College Tuition, The Assembly Majority Fights For Inmates & Illegal Immigrants. But Their Liberal Agenda Doesn't Include Everyday New Yorkers.'

Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C-Canandaigua) today criticized the Assembly Committee on Higher Education for blocking legislation designed to make college tuition more affordable and reduce the burden of student debt on New Yorkers. This morning, members of the Majority Conference blocked a series of meaningful bills from advancing to the Assembly floor for a vote.

"On college education, the Assembly Majority fights for inmates and illegal immigrants. But their liberal agenda apparently doesn't include everyday New Yorkers trying to achieve their educational dreams and prepare for a successful career," Leader Kolb said. "Paying for college has become a harsh financial reality for families across the state. It's a shame that instead of moving toward a solution, the Assembly Majority has again opted for a divisive approach to a non-partisan issue."

The Assembly Committee on Higher Education blocked a number of Minority-sponsored bills that target the rising costs of college tuition and provide direct help to college students. Among the measures the committee refused to advance are:

  • The Affordable College Education Scholarship (ACES) program that allows legal resident students who meet income eligibility requirements to earn a bachelor's degree at SUNY or CUNY at more affordable tuition rates (A.2753, Kolb);
  • The Regents High-Tech Graduate Loan Forgiveness program that provides loan forgiveness awards annually to high-tech graduates who agree to work in New York State in a profession that requires a degree in the high-tech field in which the graduate holds a degree (A.4484, McKevitt); and
  • The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and Agricultural Sciences Degree program at SUNY and CUNY institutions that allows students to obtain a STEM degree at more affordable rates (A.6620, Wozniak).