Senate Bill S6886A

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 6886--A

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              April 4, 2012
                               ___________

Introduced by Sens. GOLDEN, OPPENHEIMER -- read twice and ordered print-
  ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Educa-
  tion  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered reprinted as
  amended and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to providing free spaying
  and neutering services in lieu of self-instructional course  work  for
  continuing education requirements for veterinarians

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 6704-a of the  education  law,  as
added by chapter 328 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
  2.  (A)  During  each  triennial  registration period an applicant for
registration shall complete a minimum of forty-five hours of  acceptable
formal  continuing education, a maximum of twenty-two and one-half hours
of which may be self-instructional coursework acceptable to the  depart-
ment.
  (I) SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL COURSEWORK MAY INCLUDE FREE SPAYING AND NEUTER-
ING  SERVICES IN CONJUNCTION WITH A MUNICIPALITY, DULY INCORPORATED NOT-
FOR-PROFIT SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS, DULY INCOR-
PORATED  HUMANE  SOCIETY,  OR  DULY   INCORPORATED   ANIMAL   PROTECTION
ASSOCIATION  PROVIDED  THAT  SUCH SERVICES BE ADMINISTERED AT PRACTICES,
FACILITIES AND PROPERTIES AUTHORIZED  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  SIXTY-SEVEN
HUNDRED SIX OF THIS ARTICLE.
  (II)  THE  DEPARTMENT  MAY  OFFSET  UP TO THREE HOURS OF THE REQUISITE
NUMBER OF HOURS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIRED PURSUANT TO THIS  PARA-
GRAPH  BY  THE NUMBER OF FREE SPAYING AND NEUTERING SERVICES RENDERED BY
AN APPLICANT, AT A RATE OF ONE-HALF OF ONE HOUR OF CONTINUING  EDUCATION
FOR  EACH  HOUR  OF FREE SPAYING AND NEUTERING SERVICES, PROVIDED THAT A
VETERINARIAN SHALL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE CORE REQUIREMENTS  ESTAB-
LISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
  (III) THE DEPARTMENT MAY REDUCE, IN PART, AN APPLICATION BY A LICENSEE
TO  OFFSET CREDITS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION PURSUANT TO THIS PARAGRAPH IF
THE DEPARTMENT FINDS, IN ITS DISCRETION,  THAT  THE  APPLICANT  REQUIRES
FORMAL CONTINUING EDUCATION IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN OR RESTORE PROFESSIONAL

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD04668-13-2

S. 6886--A                          2

COMPETENCE,  OR  MAY  DENY ALL APPLICATIONS IF THE DEPARTMENT FINDS THAT
FORMAL CONTINUING EDUCATION IS  NECESSARY  BECAUSE  OF  DEVELOPMENTS  IN
SCIENCE OR TECHNOLOGY.
  (B)  Any  veterinarian  whose  first  registration  date following the
effective date of this section occurs less than three  years  from  such
effective  date,  but  on  or  after January first, two thousand twelve,
shall complete continuing education hours on a  prorated  basis  at  the
rate  of  one  and  one-quarter hours per month for the period beginning
January first, two thousand twelve up to  the  first  registration  date
thereafter.  A  licensee  who has not satisfied the mandatory continuing
education requirements shall not  be  issued  a  triennial  registration
certificate  by the department and shall not practice unless and until a
conditional registration certificate is issued as provided  in  subdivi-
sion  three  of  this  section, or until he or she has otherwise met the
requirements of this section. The individual  licensee  shall  determine
the  selection  of  courses or programs of study pursuant to subdivision
four of this section.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
have become a law.