Legislature passes cop tuition waiver bill

June 28, 2016 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

State Sen. Marty Golden is a retired police officer. Eagle file photo by Paula Katinas

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A bill passed by the state Legislature to allow police officers to receive a waiver on tuition for one course at the City University of New York (CUNY) is awaiting Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s signature.

State Sen. Marty Golden and state Assemblymember Joseph Lentol were the sponsors of the bill in their respective legislative chambers.

There was a law on the books to allow cops to get tuition waivers for a single CUNY course, but it is set to expire on July 1.

The Golden-Lentol bill seeks to extend the tuition waiver program for another two years, until July 1, 2018.

The tuition waiver was first instituted in 2004 and is open to members of the NYPD employed in the rank of police officer who are enrolled in programs leading to a baccalaureate degrees or higher degrees at one of CUNY’s senior colleges.

The course must be related to the police officer’s employment with the NYPD.

“Our modern society requires a well-educated police force. The waiver gives our police officers an incentive to attend college,” said Golden, who is a retired police officer.

In January, after introducing the bill, Lentol (D-North Brooklyn) told Politico that the legislation would make police officers well rounded.

The measure is “even more relevant today,” he told Politico.