New York legislation · 2025-2026 General Assembly
New York A129: Directs the commissioner of education to change the name of the state high school equivalency diploma to the Excelsior diploma
Status: In committee, April 27, 2026
Directs the commissioner of education to change the name of the state high school equivalency diploma, formerly known as the general education development (GED) program, to the Excelsior diploma.
What the bill says
An act to amend the education law, the correction law, the administrative code of the city of New York, the civil service law, the executive law, the labor law, the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, the social services law and the state finance law, in relation to changing the name of the general education development diploma to the Excelsior diploma.
From the amended text, April 27, 2026:
AN ACT to amend the education law, the correction law, the administrative code of the city of New York, the civil service law, the executive law, the labor law, the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, the social services law and the state finance law, in relation to changing the name of the general education development diploma to the Excelsior diploma THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Section 317 of the education law, as added by chapter 170 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows: § 317. [General education development] EXCELSIOR DIPLOMA exam. Notwithstanding any provision of law, no fee shall be established for admission to the [general education development] EXCELSIOR DIPLOMA exam. § 2. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 63 to read as follows: 63. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE STATE HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA, AS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION 100.7 OF TITLE EIGHT OF THE NEW YORK CODES, RULES AND REGULATIONS, TO THE EXCELSIOR DIPLOMA. EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00560-04-6 A. 129--C 2 § 3. Subdivision 19 of section 2 of the …
Sponsors
- John Zaccaro (D, 80) · primary sponsor
- Catalina Cruz (D, 39)
- Maritza Davila (D, 53)
- Andrew Hevesi (D, 28)
- Joseph DeStefano (R, 3)
- Brian Manktelow (R, 130)
- Philip Ramos (D, 6)
- Monique Chandler-Waterman (D, 58)
- Billy Jones (D, 115)
- Alec Brook-Krasny (D, 46)
- Jeff Gallahan (R, 131)
- Anil Beephan (R, 105)
Latest actions
- : AMENDED ON THIRD READING 129C
- : ADVANCED TO THIRD READING CAL.346
- : REPORTED
- : REFERRED TO EDUCATION
- : REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES
- : PRINT NUMBER 129B
- : AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO EDUCATION
- : PRINT NUMBER 129A
- : AMEND (T) AND RECOMMIT TO EDUCATION
- : REFERRED TO EDUCATION
Votes
- Assembly Education Committee: Favorable (April 22, 2026): 26 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Education Law
Common questions
- What is A129?
- A129 is a bill in the New York Legislature (2025-2026 General Assembly): Directs the commissioner of education to change the name of the state high school equivalency diploma to the Excelsior diploma.
- What does A129 do?
- In its own words: An act to amend the education law, the correction law, the administrative code of the city of New York, the civil service law, the executive law, the labor law, the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, the social services law and the state finance law, in relation to changing the name of the general education development diploma to the Excelsior diploma.
- What is the status of A129?
- In committee as of April 27, 2026. Latest action: AMENDED ON THIRD READING 129C (April 27, 2026).
- Who sponsored A129?
- John Zaccaro (D, 80), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for A129?
- On the New York Legislature website: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A129
Source: official New York record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.