S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5544
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 10, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Real Property Taxation
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  real  property tax law, in relation to enabling
   chiropractors to certify disability; to amend the vehicle and  traffic
   law,  in  relation to enabling chiropractors to certify disability for
   the purpose of issuance of handicapped license  plates  and  registra-
   tion;  and  to amend the education law, in relation to enabling chiro-
   practors to be employed by school districts to provide  school  health
   services
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 459 of the real  property tax law,
 as amended by chapter 265 of the laws of 2013, is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   2. To qualify as physically disabled for the purposes of this section,
 an  individual shall submit to the assessor a certified statement from a
 physician OR CHIROPRACTOR licensed to practice in the state  on  a  form
 prescribed  and made available by the commissioner which states that the
 individual has  a  permanent  physical  impairment  which  substantially
 limits  one  or  more of such individual's major life activities, except
 that an individual who has obtained a certificate from the state commis-
 sion for the blind stating that such individual  is  legally  blind  may
 submit such certificate in lieu of a physician's certified statement.
   § 2. Subdivision 4 and paragraph (b) of subdivision 5 of section 404-a
 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 376 of the laws of
 2015, are amended to read as follows:
   4.  Issue  of  plates.  The commissioner shall issue sets of plates to
 such person in accordance with subdivision  two  of  this  section  with
 proof  of  such  disability of such person or such members of his or her
 family certified by a physician, physician  assistant,  CHIROPRACTOR  or
 nurse  practitioner, to the extent authorized by law and consistent with
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD06603-01-7

 A. 5544                             2
 
 subdivision three of section six thousand nine hundred two of the educa-
 tion law, or podiatrist pursuant to subdivision four-a of  this  section
 or  optometrist  pursuant  to subdivision four-b of this section, to the
 satisfaction  of  the  commissioner  who  is  empowered to carry out the
 effects of this section by formulating rules and regulations.
   For the purposes of this section, a "severely disabled  person"  shall
 mean  any  person  having  any one or more of the following impairments,
 disabilities or conditions which are permanent in nature:
   (a) Has limited or no use of one or both lower limbs;
   (b) Has a neuro-muscular dysfunction which severely limits mobility;
   (c) Has a physical or mental impairment or condition  which  is  other
 than  those  specified above, but is of such nature as to impose unusual
 hardship in utilization of public  transportation  facilities  and  such
 condition  is  certified  by  a  physician, physician assistant or nurse
 practitioner, to the extent authorized by law and consistent with subdi-
 vision three of section six thousand nine hundred two of  the  education
 law,  duly  licensed to practice in this state, or, pursuant to subdivi-
 sion four-a of this section, a  podiatrist  duly  licensed  to  practice
 podiatry  in  this  state  or,  pursuant  to  subdivision four-b of this
 section, an optometrist duly licensed  to  practice  optometry  in  this
 state,  as  constituting  an  equal degree of disability (specifying the
 particular condition) so as to prevent such person from  getting  around
 without  great  difficulty  in  accordance  with subdivision two of this
 section; or
   (d) A blind person.
   (b) The commissioner may require the  applicant  for  registration  to
 furnish  such proof of his or her disability or such proof of disability
 of such members of his or her family from a physician, physician assist-
 ant, CHIROPRACTOR or nurse practitioner, to the extent authorized by law
 and consistent with subdivision  three  of  section  six  thousand  nine
 hundred  two of the education law, or podiatrist pursuant to subdivision
 four-a of this section or optometrist pursuant to subdivision four-b  of
 this  section,  as  the  commissioner deems necessary either for initial
 registration or renewal thereof; provided, however, that  a  handicapped
 or  disabled  permit issued by a municipality to such applicant pursuant
 to section twelve hundred three-a of this chapter shall be deemed suffi-
 cient proof of disability for purposes of this paragraph.
   § 3.  Subdivision 1 of section 902 of the education law, as amended by
 chapter 477 of the laws of 2004, is amended to read as follows:
   1. As used in this article "health professionals" means  persons  duly
 licensed  or otherwise authorized to practice a health profession pursu-
 ant to applicable law, including, but not limited to, physicians, regis-
 tered professional nurses, nurse practitioners,  physicians  assistants,
 optometrists, dentists, dental hygienists, CHIROPRACTORS, dietitians and
 nutritionists, and audiologists.
   §  4.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
 have become a law.