Relates to access to educational activities by public assistance recipients who are subject to work participation requirements

Latest action Dec 19, 2025

Relates to access to educational activities by public assistance recipients who are subject to work participation requirements; allows homework expected or required by an educational institution to count towards satisfaction of the work activity requirements for public assistance benefits for participants engaged in certain educational or training activities.

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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 A4502, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Passed as A4502, the matching Assembly bill.

Amends the Social Services Law.

Committee

Rules · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Rules · New York State Senate, Social Services · New York State Assembly, Social Services · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

Allows individuals receiving public assistance to be able to pursue a college education. Allows college course work to be credited as a work activity, which can be used toward fulfilling the employment require- ments for public assistance benefits. Also changes the amount of time that a participant in a vocational school can spend in preparation for a GED from 25% to 50%.

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

Recorded votes

Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateJun 12, 2025Result: passedSenate vote on A4502, the matching Assembly bill.
(47) (12) (0) (4)
Vote: Committee vote · Social Services
Senate Social ServicesMay 20, 2025Result: passed
(5) (1) (0) (0)

Cosponsors

Chantel Jackson, Dana Levenberg and 5 more on Agora

Democratic6
Republican1

See the full list on nysenate.gov

The sponsor's argument

Why Kevin S. Parker says this is needed

Higher education is a path to self-sufficiency. By assisting individuals to gain greater access to higher education they are given the opportu- nity to pursue professional careers, instead of simply getting a job. It has been shown through numerous reports that simply obtaining employment does not significantly help an individual to overcome financial hard- ship. Individuals with minimum education and low skilled jobs are the first to be laid off during times of economic trouble. By allowing indi- viduals to fulfill their TANF work requirements while pursuing a college degree, those individuals will be better equipped to compete in the labor market and have more opportunity for upward mobility.

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
Tabled
TABLED
NY Assembly
Dec 19, 2025
Vetoed
VETOED MEMO.127
NY Assembly
Dec 8, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR
NY Assembly
Jun 12, 2025
3RD Reading CAL.1169
3RD READING CAL.1169
NY Senate
Jun 12, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate

Show full history (15 earlier events)

Jun 12, 2025
Substituted
SUBSTITUTED BY A4502B
NY Senate
Jun 10, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO SENATE
NY Assembly
Jun 10, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
Jun 10, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO RULES
NY Senate
May 27, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED
NY Assembly
May 27, 2025
Rules Report CAL.265
RULES REPORT CAL.265
NY Assembly
May 22, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
May 21, 2025
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
May 21, 2025
Amended
AMENDED (T) 4257A
NY Senate
May 20, 2025
1ST Report CAL.1169
1ST REPORT CAL.1169
NY Senate
May 20, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES
NY Assembly
May 16, 2025
Amend and Recommit to Social Services
AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO SOCIAL SERVICES
NY Assembly
May 8, 2025
Amend (t) and Recommit to Social Services
AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO SOCIAL SERVICES
NY Assembly
Feb 4, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO SOCIAL SERVICES
NY Assembly
Feb 3, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO SOCIAL SERVICES
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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