Phases out certain mandatory university fees for graduate students

Latest action Dec 19, 2025

Provides that beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, certain graduate students shall be required to pay 25% of all current and future mandatory university fees; provides that in the 2027-2028 academic year and thereafter, no mandatory university fees shall be charged, with the exclusion of the graduate student association student activity fee.

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Where it stands

Rejected by the executive.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

Vetoed

New York State Senate

Same as A5457, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Amends the Education Law.

Committee

Higher Education · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Higher Education · New York State Senate, Ways and Means · New York State Assembly.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

To codify the phasing out of certain mandatory university fees for grad- uate students prohibiting the State University of New York (SUNY) from charging any current or future mandatory fees, except for the graduate student association student activity fee, to a graduate student serving as a graduate teaching assistant, graduate assistant, graduate research assistant, graduate research associate or graduate teaching associate; and prohibits the City University of New York (CUNY) from charging any current or future mandatory fees, except for the graduate student asso- ciation student activity fee, to a graduate student serving as a gradu- ate assistant, adjunct instructor, adjunct lecturer, adjunct college laboratory technician, or a non-teaching adjunct staff member.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateJun 5, 2025Result: passed
(59) (1) (0) (3)
Vote: Committee vote · Finance
Senate FinanceMay 28, 2025Result: passed
(22) (0) (0) (0)
Vote: Committee vote · Higher Education
Senate Higher EducationMar 4, 2025Result: passed
(11) (0) (0) (0)

Cosponsors

Christopher Ryan, Demond Meeks and 25 more on Agora

Democratic24
Republican3

See the full list on nysenate.gov

The sponsor's argument

Why Toby Ann Stavisky says this is needed

This bill codifies financial relief provided to graduate students serv- ing in certain graduate teaching or graduate assisting capacities at SUNY and CUNY by prohibiting the systems from charging mandatory fees. Graduate student workers are responsible for all aspects of teaching courses, including designing syllabi, holding office hours, mentoring students, grading, and conducting research. Graduate student employees are an essential labor force for SUNY and CUNY - and instrumental to the longterm economic success of New York State. However, mandatory fees amounting to 10-2075- of their annual income force many graduate student employees into poverty. While stipend amounts vary considerably between campuses and academic departments, the average graduate employee stipend across the four SUNY University Centers is about $20,000 per academic year for TAs and Gas with full appointment & for those graduate employees earning the average stipend, the amount they must pay back to their university each year in fees can represent much of their annual income. We must permanently end this pay-to-work practice that forces graduate student workers to live in poverty.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

Dec 19, 2025
Vetoed
VETOED MEMO.139
NY Senate
Dec 8, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR
NY Senate
Jun 16, 2025
Ordered to Third Reading Rules CAL.789
ORDERED TO THIRD READING RULES CAL.789
NY Assembly
Jun 16, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
Jun 16, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES
NY Assembly

Show full history (11 earlier events)

Jun 16, 2025
Substituted
SUBSTITUTED FOR A5457
NY Assembly
Jun 5, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
Jun 5, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
Jun 5, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS
NY Assembly
Jun 4, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
May 29, 2025
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
May 28, 2025
1ST Report CAL.1350
1ST REPORT CAL.1350
NY Senate
May 28, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED REFERRED TO WAYS AND MEANS
NY Assembly
Mar 4, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
NY Senate
Feb 14, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
NY Assembly
Jan 27, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
NY Senate

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Cosponsors: The list shows the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Party colors: Parties are shown in the same neutral colors.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 21, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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