S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1769
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
February 6, 2009
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Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to mandatory continuing
education for nurses
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6911
to read as follows:
S 6911. MANDATORY CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL
NURSES. 1. (A) EACH LICENSED REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSE REQUIRED
UNDER THIS ARTICLE TO REGISTER TRIENNIALLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT TO PRAC-
TICE IN THE STATE SHALL COMPLY WITH PROVISIONS OF THE MANDATORY CONTINU-
ING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS PRESCRIBED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION
EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPHS (B) AND (C) OF THIS SUBDIVISION. NURS-
ES WHO DO NOT SATISFY THE MANDATORY CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
SHALL NOT PRACTICE UNTIL THEY HAVE MET SUCH REQUIREMENTS, AND HAVE BEEN
ISSUED A REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE, EXCEPT THAT A NURSE MAY PRACTICE
WITHOUT HAVING MET SUCH REQUIREMENTS IF HE OR SHE IS ISSUED A CONDI-
TIONAL REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS
SECTION.
(B) REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSES SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE MANDATORY
CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE TRIENNIAL REGISTRATION PERIOD
DURING WHICH THEY ARE FIRST LICENSED. IN ACCORD WITH THE INTENT OF THIS
SECTION, ADJUSTMENT TO THE MANDATORY CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENT
MAY BE GRANTED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR REASONS OF HEALTH CERTIFIED BY AN
APPROPRIATE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL, FOR EXTENDED ACTIVE DUTY WITH THE
ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES, OR FOR OTHER GOOD CAUSE ACCEPTABLE TO
THE DEPARTMENT WHICH MAY PREVENT COMPLIANCE.
(C) A LICENSED REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSE NOT ENGAGED IN PRACTICE
AS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT, SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE MANDATORY
CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENT UPON THE FILING OF A STATEMENT WITH THE
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07953-01-9
S. 1769 2
DEPARTMENT DECLARING SUCH STATUS. ANY LICENSEE WHO RETURNS TO THE PRAC-
TICE OF REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSING DURING THE TRIENNIAL REGISTRA-
TION PERIOD SHALL NOTIFY THE DEPARTMENT PRIOR TO REENTERING THE PROFES-
SION AND SHALL MEET SUCH MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS AS SHALL BE
PRESCRIBED BY REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER.
2. DURING EACH TRIENNIAL REGISTRATION PERIOD AN APPLICANT FOR REGIS-
TRATION SHALL COMPLETE A MINIMUM OF FORTY-FIVE HOURS OF ACCEPTABLE
FORMAL CONTINUING EDUCATION, AS SPECIFIED IN SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS
SECTION, PROVIDED THAT NO MORE THAN FIFTEEN HOURS OF SUCH CONTINUING
EDUCATION SHALL CONSIST OF SELF-STUDY COURSES. ANY REGISTERED PROFES-
SIONAL NURSE WHOSE FIRST REGISTRATION DATE FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE
OF THIS SECTION OCCURS LESS THAN THREE YEARS FROM SUCH EFFECTIVE DATE,
SHALL COMPLETE CONTINUING EDUCATION HOURS ON A PRORATED BASIS AT THE
RATE OF ONE AND ONE QUARTER HOUR PER MONTH FOR THE PERIOD BEGINNING
JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TEN UP TO THE FIRST REGISTRATION DATE THERE-
AFTER. A LICENSEE WHO HAS NOT SATISFIED THE MANDATORY CONTINUING EDUCA-
TION REQUIREMENTS SHALL NOT BE ISSUED A TRIENNIAL REGISTRATION CERTIF-
ICATE BY THE DEPARTMENT AND SHALL NOT PRACTICE UNLESS AND UNTIL A
CONDITIONAL REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE IS ISSUED AS PROVIDED FOR IN SUBDI-
VISION THREE OF THIS SECTION.
3. THE DEPARTMENT, IN ITS DISCRETION, MAY ISSUE A CONDITIONAL REGIS-
TRATION TO A LICENSEE WHO FAILS TO MEET THE CONTINUING EDUCATION
REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION BUT WHO
AGREES TO MAKE UP ANY DEFICIENCIES AND COMPLETE ANY ADDITIONAL EDUCATION
WHICH THE DEPARTMENT MAY REQUIRE. THE FEE FOR SUCH A CONDITIONAL REGIS-
TRATION SHALL BE THE SAME AS, AND IN ADDITION TO, THE FEE FOR THE TRIEN-
NIAL REGISTRATION. THE DURATION OF SUCH CONDITIONAL REGISTRATION SHALL
BE DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT BUT SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE YEAR. ANY
LICENSEE WHO IS NOTIFIED OF THE DENIAL OF REGISTRATION FOR FAILURE TO
SUBMIT EVIDENCE, SATISFACTORY TO THE DEPARTMENT, OF REQUIRED CONTINUING
EDUCATION AND WHO PRACTICES REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSING WITHOUT SUCH
REGISTRATION, MAY BE SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS PURSUANT TO
SECTION SIXTY-FIVE HUNDRED TEN OF THIS TITLE.
4. AS USED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION, "ACCEPTABLE FORMAL
CONTINUING EDUCATION" SHALL MEAN FORMAL COURSES OF LEARNING WHICH
CONTRIBUTE TO PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AS A REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSE
AND WHICH MEET THE STANDARDS PRESCRIBED BY REGULATIONS OF THE COMMIS-
SIONER.
5. REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSES SHALL MAINTAIN ADEQUATE DOCUMENTA-
TION OF COMPLETION OF ACCEPTABLE FORMAL CONTINUING EDUCATION AND SHALL
PROVIDE SUCH DOCUMENTATION AT THE REQUEST OF THE DEPARTMENT.
6. THE MANDATORY CONTINUING EDUCATION FEE SHALL BE FORTY-FIVE DOLLARS,
SHALL BE PAYABLE ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF EACH TRIENNIAL REGISTRA-
TION PERIOD, AND SHALL BE PAID IN ADDITION TO THE TRIENNIAL REGISTRATION
FEE REQUIRED BY SECTION SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED FIVE OF THIS ARTICLE.
S 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2010; provided that any
rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act
on its effective date are authorized and directed to be promulgated,
repealed and/or amended by such effective date.