Assembly Bill A663

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    663
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  BUTTENSCHON -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive  law,  in  relation  to  establishing  the
   canine officer health monitoring fund

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The executive law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new  section
 837-d-1 to read as follows:
   §  837-D-1.  CANINE OFFICER HEALTH MONITORING FUND. 1. AS USED IN THIS
 SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) "CANINE OFFICER" SHALL MEAN A DOG THAT IS SPECIFICALLY TRAINED  TO
 ASSIST POLICE AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL.
   (B)  "APPLICANT"  MEANS  A STATE AGENCY, MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, PUBLIC
 AUTHORITY, PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION, OR THE HIGHEST OFFICIAL THEREOF.
   2. AN APPLICANT WHICH IS AUTHORIZED TO AND EMPLOYS CANINE OFFICERS MAY
 APPLY TO THE COMMISSIONER FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF FUNDS  EXPENDED  FOR  ALL
 HEALTH  COSTS RELATED TO REGULAR HEALTH OR INJURY ASSOCIATED WITH CANINE
 OFFICERS.
   3. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL REQUIRE ANY APPLICANT SEEKING  REIMBURSEMENT
 FOR  HEALTH  COSTS  RELATED  TO REGULAR HEALTH OR INJURY ASSOCIATED WITH
 CANINE OFFICERS TO APPLY FOR ANY AVAILABLE FEDERAL FUNDS. ANY  APPLICANT
 FAILING  TO  DO  SO  SHALL  NOT  BE ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT UNDER THIS
 SECTION. THE COMMISSIONER MAY WAIVE SUCH FAILURE  FOR  GOOD  CAUSE.  THE
 COMMISSIONER  SHALL MAINTAIN A PUBLIC RECORD OF ALL SUCH WAIVERS AND THE
 REASONS THEREFOR. REIMBURSEMENT MAY BE  WITHHELD  PENDING  THE  DETERMI-
 NATION OF AN APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL FUNDS.
   4.  AN  APPLICANT  FOR  REIMBURSEMENT  PURSUANT  TO THIS SECTION SHALL
 REPORT THE NAME OF EACH CANINE OFFICER FOR WHOM REIMBURSEMENT IS SOUGHT.
 THE APPLICANT SHALL REPORT WHETHER SUCH CANINE OFFICER OR OFFICERS HAVE,
 AT ANY TIME DURING THE TEN YEARS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING  THE  APPLICATION
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD01658-01-5
 A. 663                              2
 
 FOR REIMBURSEMENT, HAD ANY HEALTH COSTS FOR WHICH REIMBURSEMENT PURSUANT
 TO  THIS  SECTION WAS PROVIDED, THE DATE OF ANY SUCH PRIOR REIMBURSEMENT
 AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION THAT THE COMMISSIONER MAY REQUIRE FOR ACCURATE
 RECORD-KEEPING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
   5.  THE  AMOUNT OF ANY REIMBURSEMENT AUTHORIZED TO BE MADE PURSUANT TO
 THIS SECTION SHALL BE REDUCED BY THE AMOUNT OF ANY FEDERAL FUNDS GRANTED
 TO THE APPLICANT FOR THE PURPOSE OF  HEALTH  COSTS  RELATED  TO  REGULAR
 HEALTH  OR  INJURY ASSOCIATED WITH CANINE OFFICERS, AND BY THE AMOUNT OF
 ANY OTHER FUNDS RECEIVED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FOR THAT PURPOSE BY  THE
 APPLICANT.
   6. NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO PROHIBIT AN
 APPLICANT FROM EXPENDING ITS OWN FUNDS FOR HEALTH COSTS RELATED TO REGU-
 LAR  HEALTH OR INJURY ASSOCIATED WITH CANINE OFFICERS IN AMOUNTS EXCEED-
 ING THE ESTABLISHED STATE REIMBURSEMENT LIMITATIONS.
   7. THE COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED TO PROMULGATE RULES AND  REGULATIONS
 TO  PROVIDE  FOR  THE  ORDERLY  EFFECTUATION  OF  THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
 SECTION.
   § 2. Section 837 of the executive law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 24 to read as follows:
   24.  (A)  MAINTAIN  AND  ANNUALLY  UPDATE A LIST OF CLAIMS MADE TO THE
 DIVISION FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR HEALTH COSTS RELATED TO REGULAR HEALTH OR
 INJURY ASSOCIATED WITH CANINE OFFICERS ALONG WITH RELEVANT DATA RELATING
 TO SUCH REIMBURSEMENT. SUCH DATA SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (I) THE NAME OF THE CANINE OFFICER;
   (II) THE DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY THE CANINE OFFICER IS EMPLOYED BY;
   (III) THE AGE OF THE CANINE;
   (IV) THE CANINE'S YEARS OF SERVICE;
   (V) THE CANINE'S PRIMARY JOB PURPOSE;
   (VI) THE CANINE'S SECONDARY PURPOSE, IF APPLICABLE;
   (VII) ANY INJURIES OR REGULAR HEALTH MAINTENANCE;
   (VIII) THE COUNTY IN WHICH THE CANINE IS EMPLOYED  AND  ANY  SECONDARY
 COUNTIES THAT THE CANINE IS LOCATED;
   (IX) CANINE BREED;
   (X) WHETHER THE CANINE IS CURRENTLY RETIRED; AND
   (XI)  ANY  OTHER  RELEVANT DATA AS DETERMINED APPROPRIATE BY THE DIVI-
 SION.
   (B) FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, "JOB PURPOSE" SHALL MEAN ONE  OF
 THE FOLLOWING:
   (I) NARCOTIC DETECTION;
   (II) EXPLOSIVES DETECTION;
   (III) OFFICER PROTECTION;
   (IV) TRACKING/SEARCHES;
   (V) CADAVER;
   (VI) THERAPY; OR
   (VII) OTHER.
   (C)  ANY  DE-IDENTIFIED  INFORMATION  OR  DATA SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE
 THROUGH A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST PURSUANT TO ARTICLE SIX OF  THE
 PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.