S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7779--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
April 10, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. STERN, GANDOLFO, BRONSON, BURDICK, CLARK, HEVESI,
JACOBSON, KELLES, LEVENBERG, LUNSFORD, McMAHON, PAULIN, RAMOS, RIVERA,
ROSENTHAL, SANTABARBARA, SIMON, STIRPE, WOERNER, ZINERMAN -- read once
and referred to the Committee on Codes -- reported and referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means -- recommitted to the Committee on Ways
and Means in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee
discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
to said committee
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to care for retired law
enforcement and fire investigation dogs
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 844 to
read as follows:
§ 844. CARE FOR RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE INVESTIGATION DOGS.
1. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS
SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
(A) "RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT DOG" SHALL MEAN A DOG THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY
IN THE SERVICE OF OR UTILIZED BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR A CORREC-
TIONAL AGENCY IN THIS STATE FOR THE PRINCIPAL PURPOSE OF AIDING IN THE
DETECTION OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS, OR APPREHENSION OF
OFFENDERS AND THAT RECEIVED CERTIFICATION ISSUED BY THE DIVISION OR BY
THE DIVISION OF STATE POLICE ATTESTING TO THE SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF
A POLICE CANINE TRAINING PROGRAM.
(B) "RETIRED FIRE INVESTIGATION DOG" SHALL MEAN A DOG PREVIOUSLY IN
THE SERVICE OF OR UTILIZED BY A FIRE DEPARTMENT AS AN IGNITABLE LIQUID
DETECTION CANINE OR OTHERWISE TRAINED TO ASSIST IN FIRE INVESTIGATION
AND THAT RECEIVED CERTIFICATION ISSUED BY THE OFFICE OF FIRE PREVENTION
AND CONTROL WITHIN THE DIVISION OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY
SERVICES OR THROUGH ANOTHER RECOGNIZED FIRE INVESTIGATION CANINE TRAIN-
ING PROGRAM ATTESTING TO THE SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF SUCH TRAINING.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05766-02-6
A. 7779--A 2
(C) "LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY" SHALL MEAN ANY AGENCY OR DEPARTMENT OF
ANY MUNICIPALITY, ANY POLICE DISTRICT, OR ANY AGENCY, DEPARTMENT,
COMMISSION, AUTHORITY OR PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION IN THE STATE EMPLOY-
ING A POLICE OFFICER OR POLICE OFFICERS AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN
SUBDIVISION THIRTY-FOUR OF SECTION 1.20 OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW.
(D) "CORRECTIONAL AGENCY" SHALL MEAN ANY AGENCY OR DEPARTMENT OPERATED
BY THE STATE, A COUNTY, MUNICIPALITY, OR CITY OF NEW YORK HAVING PRIMARY
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SUPERVISION, PROTECTION, CARE, CUSTODY, CONTROL,
OR INVESTIGATION OF INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS IN THE STATE EMPLOYING
POLICE OFFICERS AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF SUBDIVISION THIRTY-FOUR
OF SECTION 1.20 OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE LAW OR PEACE OFFICERS AS THAT
TERM IS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION TWENTY-FIVE OF SECTION 2.10 OF THE CRIMI-
NAL PROCEDURE LAW.
(E) "FIRE DEPARTMENT" SHALL MEAN ANY DEPARTMENT, AGENCY, OR UNIT OF A
COUNTY, CITY, TOWN, VILLAGE, OR FIRE DISTRICT PROVIDING FIRE PROTECTION
OR FIRE INVESTIGATION SERVICES IN THIS STATE, WHETHER COMPOSED OF PAID
OR VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS, AND MAY BE COMPOSED OF ONE OR MORE FIRE
COMPANIES AS DEFINED IN SECTION THREE OF THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS'
BENEFIT LAW.
(F) "VETERINARY CARE" SHALL MEAN THE PRACTICE, BY A VETERINARIAN, OF
VETERINARY MEDICINE AS DEFINED IN ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE OF THE
EDUCATION LAW. THE TERM SHALL ALSO INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO ANNUAL
WELLNESS EXAMINATIONS, VACCINATIONS, INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARASITE
PREVENTION TREATMENTS, TESTING AND TREATMENT OF ILLNESSES AND DISEASES,
MEDICATIONS, EMERGENCY CARE AND SURGERIES, PHYSICAL THERAPY, VETERINARY
ONCOLOGY OR OTHER SPECIALTY CARE, EUTHANASIA, AND CREMATION.
2. THE DIVISION SHALL ESTABLISH A VETERINARY CARE PROGRAM FOR THE CARE
OF RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE INVESTIGATION DOGS AND SHALL PROMUL-
GATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO EFFECTUATE SUCH PROGRAM.
3. THE PROGRAM SHALL COVER THE COST OF VETERINARY CARE FOR RETIRED LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE INVESTIGATION DOGS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE LIFE-
TIME OF SUCH DOGS PROVIDED THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, CORRECTIONAL
AGENCY, OR FIRE DEPARTMENT ELECTS TO PARTICIPATE IN SUCH PROGRAM.
4. THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, CORRECTIONAL AGENCY OR FIRE DEPARTMENT
WHERE SUCH RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OR FIRE INVESTIGATION DOG SERVED OR
WAS UTILIZED SHALL ELECT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED
PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
5. IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH PROGRAM, THE HANDLER OR ADOPTER OF
SUCH RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OR FIRE INVESTIGATION DOG SHALL PROVIDE
PROOF THAT THE DOG WAS IN SERVICE AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OR FIRE INVESTI-
GATION DOG FOR AT LEAST:
(A) FIVE YEARS; OR
(B) WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE DUE TO AN INJURY TO THE DOG; OR
(C) WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE DUE TO THE DOG BEING TRAINED IN THC
DETECTION AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT DOG.
6. A HANDLER OR ADOPTER OF AN ELIGIBLE LAW ENFORCEMENT OR FIRE INVES-
TIGATION DOG SHALL BE ENTITLED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF VETERI-
NARY CARE UPON SUBMISSION OF A VALID INVOICE FROM A VETERINARIAN.
§ 2. The program established by section 844 of the executive law, as
added by section one of this act shall be subject to an appropriation to
the division of criminal justice services out of any moneys in the state
treasury in the general fund.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.