Senator Joseph Griffo is expressing his disappointment that the Assembly Higher Education Committee recently voted down a bill that would have provided free college tuition to Gold Star families.

Under the legislation, dependent family members of New York State military personnel who die on state or federal active duty would receive free tuition and room and board at a CUNY or SUNY institution.

Griffo says he appreciates that Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, who is on the committee, voted in support of Gold Star and military families and he had hoped other committee Democrats would have done the same.

Griffo said not advancing the legislation was another example of Democrats in Albany having the wrong priorities, especially given the fact that they supported $27 million to provide free college tuition to the children of undocumented immigrants in the state budget passed earlier this month.

He's calling on the Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee to advance a companion bill he co-sponsors in the Senate

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