S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6107
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 26, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law,  in  relation  to  requiring  the
   introduction of training in nutrition for physicians
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding  a  new  section
 264 to read as follows:
   §  264.  COURSEWORK  OR  TRAINING  IN  NUTRITION.  1.  EVERY PHYSICIAN
 LICENSED UNDER ARTICLE ONE  HUNDRED  THIRTY-ONE  OF  THE  EDUCATION  LAW
 SHALL, ON OR BEFORE JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-EIGHT AND EVERY FOUR
 YEARS  THEREAFTER,  COMPLETE  THREE  HOURS  OF  COURSEWORK  OR  TRAINING
 APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT REGARDING NUTRITION.
   2. EVERY PHYSICIAN LICENSED ON OR AFTER JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWEN-
 TY-EIGHT UNDER ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE OF THE EDUCATION LAW SHALL
 COMPLETE SUCH COURSEWORK OR TRAINING WITHIN ONE YEAR OF  SUCH  REGISTRA-
 TION AND ONCE WITHIN EACH FOUR-YEAR PERIOD THEREAFTER.
   3. THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,
 SHALL  ESTABLISH STANDARDS AND REVIEW AND APPROVE COURSEWORK OR TRAINING
 IN NUTRITION AND DIET AND SHALL  PUBLISH  INFORMATION  RELATED  TO  SUCH
 STANDARDS,  COURSEWORK  OR  TRAINING  ON  THE  DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE. THE
 DEPARTMENT  SHALL   CONSULT   WITH   ORGANIZATIONS   REPRESENTATIVE   OF
 PROFESSIONS  AND  THOSE WITH EXPERTISE IN NUTRITION IN ESTABLISHING SUCH
 STANDARDS.
   4. COURSEWORK OR TRAINING IN NUTRITION AS REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION MAY
 INCLUDE:  GENERAL NUTRITION THROUGHOUT THE LIFECYCLE; NUTRITION  ASSESS-
 MENT; THE ROLE OF NUTRITION IN DISEASE PREVENTION, MANAGEMENT AND TREAT-
 MENT; NUTRITION TOPICS RELATED TO MEDICAL SPECIALTIES SUCH AS OBSTETRICS
 AND  GYNECOLOGY,  CARDIOLOGY, PEDIATRICS, AND ONCOLOGY; FOOD INSECURITY,
 FOOD INSECURITY SCREENINGS, AND THE IMPACT OF FOOD INSECURITY ON HEALTH;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10192-01-5
 A. 6107                             2
              

 
 THE ROLE OF DIETITIANS AND WHEN TO MAKE REFERRALS; AND OBESITY TREATMENT
 AND PREVENTION.
   5.  EXISTING  COURSEWORK OR TRAINING, INCLUDING COURSEWORK OR TRAINING
 DEVELOPED BY A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL,  SPECIAL-
 TY,  OR  PROVIDER  ASSOCIATION,  OR  NATIONALLY  RECOGNIZED NUTRITION OR
 DIETICIAN ORGANIZATION, MAY BE CONSIDERED IN IMPLEMENTING THIS  SUBDIVI-
 SION.
   6.  EVERY PHYSICIAN SHALL PROVIDE TO THE DEPARTMENT DOCUMENTATION THAT
 DEMONSTRATES THAT SUCH PHYSICIAN HAS COMPLETED THE COURSEWORK OR  TRAIN-
 ING  REQUIRED  UNDER THIS SECTION. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE A STAND-
 ARDIZED FORM OR OTHER STREAMLINED PROCESS FOR SUBMITTING SUCH DOCUMENTA-
 TION.
   7. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL INSTITUTE A PROCEDURE FOR APPLICATION  FOR  AN
 EXEMPTION  FROM THE NUTRITION TRAINING REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION. THE
 DEPARTMENT MAY PROVIDE AN EXEMPTION FROM  THE  COURSEWORK  AND  TRAINING
 REQUIRED  BY  THIS  SUBDIVISION  TO ANY SUCH LICENSED PERSON WHO CLEARLY
 DEMONSTRATES TO THE DEPARTMENT'S SATISFACTION THAT:
   A. THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR SUCH PERSON TO COMPLETE SUCH  COURSEWORK
 OR TRAINING; OR
   B.  THE  PERSON  HAS  COMPLETED  COURSEWORK  OR TRAINING DEEMED BY THE
 DEPARTMENT TO BE EQUIVALENT TO THE COURSEWORK OR  TRAINING  APPROVED  BY
 THE DEPARTMENT PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION.
   8.  NOTHING  HEREIN SHALL PRECLUDE SUCH COURSEWORK OR TRAINING IN DIET
 AND NUTRITION FROM COUNTING TOWARD CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS  OF
 A  NATIONALLY  ACCREDITED MEDICAL BOARD TO THE EXTENT ACCEPTABLE TO SUCH
 BOARD.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.