N.Y. Senate Higher Education Committee reports seven education bills to the floor

The New York State Senate Committee on Higher Education on March 10, 2026, reported seven bills to the Senate floor or to the finance committee after brief readings and procedural votes.

Committee staff read each bill aloud during the roughly eight-minute session in Room 123 of the State Capitol. The first bill, presented as Senate bill 553 by Senator Liu, “amends the education law in relation to the observance of all religious holidays by institutions within the State University of New York and CUNY and includes the Asian Lunar New Year within definition of such holidays,” a staff reader said. The committee recorded a motion to move the bill and voted to report it to the floor.

The panel also advanced a bill described in the transcript as Senate bill 2046 by Senator Webb to establish a mental health educational opportunity program and a mental health higher education opportunity program; staff noted no memos for or against and said, if reported, the bill would be referred to the finance committee. The committee moved the bill and reported it to finance.

Committee staff read a bill to create a Black History Preservation Commission within SUNY (transcript bill label: “5 1 6 5 1 1 6”). No memos of support or opposition were recorded; the committee moved the measure and reported it to the floor.

A bill read as Senate bill 6334 (sponsored in the transcript by Senator Fahey) would allow direct support staff in OPWDD programs to provide nursing services if ordered by a registered professional nurse; the staff reader said the bill would take effect 18 months after enactment and would expire and be repealed by July 2030. The committee voted to report the bill to the floor.

The committee also advanced Senate bill 6482 to update licensure requirements for professional geologists; a memo in support from the New York State Council of Professional Geologists was noted. The bill was reported to the floor during the session at which Senator May joined the meeting.

The panel approved a bill described as Senate bill 6759 to permit a parent or legal guardian to apply topical fluoride varnish to a child’s teeth; staff said the bill would take effect immediately if enacted. The committee moved and reported that measure.

Finally, the committee read Senate bill 6929, which the transcript says “amends the education law and the public health law to require dental laboratories in New York State to register with the New York State Department of Health.” Staff stated the bill would take effect one year after becoming law. During discussion a committee member asked whether in-office three-dimensional printing by a dentist would fall under the proposed registration; staff said they would check and get back to the senator. The committee moved the bill and reported it to the floor without recommendation.

All seven items were handled in short form with motions, seconds, and votes to report; no formal opposition memos were recorded in the transcript for these items. The meeting was adjourned at 11:12 a.m.