S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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9439
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 6, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. McDONALD -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Local Governments
AN ACT to amend the county law, in relation to mandatory continuing
education requirements for coroners and coroner's deputies; and to
amend a chapter of the laws of 2025, amending the county law relating
to mandatory continuing education requirements for coroners and
coroner's deputies, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 3637
and A. 4014, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 679 of the county law, as amended by a chapter of
the laws of 2025, amending the county law relating to mandatory continu-
ing education requirements for coroners and coroner's deputies, as
proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 3637 and A. 4014, is amended to
read as follows:
§ 679. Training requirements for coroners and coroner's deputies. 1.
Each coroner and coroner's deputy, whether elected or appointed pursuant
to section four hundred of this chapter, shall attend and successfully
complete INITIAL state-approved courses in medical-legal investigation.
The cost of such courses shall be the responsibility of the coroner or
coroner's deputy, provided however that the county may, at its
discretion, reimburse the coroner or coroner's deputy for all or a
portion of the cost of such courses. Such courses shall be prescribed,
certified and accredited pursuant to rules promulgated by the department
of health, in consultation with the department of state, the division of
criminal justice services, the superintendent of state police, the
commissioner of education, and the chair of the commission on forensic
science. The department of health may also consult with qualified
professional groups. Such rules shall also establish the frequency and
duration for successful completion of any such courses by the coroner or
coroner's deputy and may prescribe heightened levels of training for any
newly elected or appointed coroner or coroner's deputy.
2. (a) [Each] IN ADDITION TO THE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS OF SUBDIVISION
ONE OF THIS SECTION, EACH coroner and coroner's deputy, whether elected
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06140-04-6
A. 9439 2
or appointed pursuant to section four hundred of this chapter, shall
attend and successfully complete [no less than] A MINIMUM OF thirty
[credits] CREDIT HOURS in state-approved CONTINUING medical legal inves-
tigation courses [over a three-year period] EVERY THREE YEARS. The cost
of such courses shall be the responsibility of the coroner or coroner's
deputy, provided however that the county may, at its discretion, reim-
burse the coroner or coroner's deputy for all or a portion of the cost
of such courses. Such courses shall be prescribed, certified and accred-
ited pursuant to rules promulgated by the department of health, in
consultation with the department of state, the division of criminal
justice services, the superintendent of state police, the commissioner
of education, and the chair of the commission on forensic science. The
department of health may also consult with qualified professional groups
[including but not limited to the New York state association of county
coroners and medical examiners. Each coroner and coroner's deputy shall
register triennially with the department of health to practice and shall
comply with the provisions of the mandatory continuing education
requirements prescribed in this subdivision].
(b) Each coroner or coroner's deputy shall be exempt from the mandato-
ry continuing education requirement for one year following [the date on
which they are first elected or appointed pursuant to section four
hundred of this chapter] THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE STATE-APPROVED
COURSES IN MEDICAL-LEGAL INVESTIGATION REQUIRED BY SUBDIVISION ONE OF
THIS SECTION.
(c)(I) EACH CORONER OR CORONER'S DEPUTY SHALL:
(A) ON A FORM AND DATE PRESCRIBED BY THE COUNTY, REGISTER TRIENNIALLY
AND ATTEST TO THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTY, AND THE DEPARTMENT UPON REQUEST,
THAT THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A MINIMUM OF THIRTY CREDIT HOURS
OF CONTINUING MEDICAL-LEGAL INVESTIGATION COURSES; AND
(B) MAINTAIN RECORDS OF COMPLIANCE WITH SUCH CONTINUING EDUCATION
REQUIREMENTS FOR SEVEN YEARS AND SHALL PROVIDE SUCH DOCUMENTATION OF
COMPLIANCE UPON REQUEST BY THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTY OR THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH.
(II) CORONER AND CORONER'S DEPUTY ATTESTATIONS SHALL BE FILED IN THE
OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK.
(D) A coroner or coroner's deputy who does not satisfy the mandatory
continuing education requirements[, except as provided by paragraph (b)
of this subdivision, shall not practice until they have met such
requirements, and they have been issued a certificate of completion by
the department of health or other agency listed in paragraph (a) of this
subdivision. The New York state association of county coroners and
medical examiners shall retain records of compliance with the continu-
ing education requirements by all coroners and coroner's deputies and
shall notify those individuals and their respective counties if a coron-
er or coroner's deputy is not in compliance with this subdivision.
(d) In accordance with the intent of this subdivision, adjustment to
the mandatory continuing education requirement may be granted by the
department of health for reasons of health if certified by an appropri-
ate health care professional, for extended active duty with the armed
forces of the United States, or for other good cause acceptable to the
department of health which may prevent compliance] SHALL BE BARRED FROM
PRACTICE UNTIL THEY HAVE MET SUCH REQUIREMENTS; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT
THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTY MAY TEMPORARILY WAIVE SUCH REQUIREMENTS FOR
EXTENDED ACTIVE DUTY WITH THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES OR
STATE, OR FOR NO LONGER THAN ONE YEAR FOR OTHER GOOD CAUSE, ACCEPTABLE
TO THE RESPECTIVE COUNTY, WHICH MAY PREVENT COMPLIANCE.
A. 9439 3
§ 2. Section 2 of a chapter of the laws of 2025, amending the county
law relating to mandatory continuing education requirements for coroners
and coroner's deputies, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 3637
and A. 4014, is amended to read as follows:
§ 2. This act shall take effect [on the one hundred eightieth day] ONE
YEAR after it shall have become a law.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
section one of this act shall take effect on the same date and in the
same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2025, amending the county law
relating to mandatory continuing education requirements for coroners and
coroner's deputies, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 3637 and
A. 4014, takes effect.