Senate Bill S4452

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4452
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 5, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  ASHBY  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law and the state finance law, in relation
   to establishing the Capital Region preceptor stipend program
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 the "Capital Region preceptor stipend program".
   § 2. Legislative intent. New York state health care is in crisis  from
 staffing  shortages  that  are  exacerbated  by  staff  burnout. Quality
 preceptorships are  an  essential  component  of  clinical  professional
 development,  and  also a powerful tool for recruitment and retention in
 the healthcare industry. By providing supervision during clinical  prac-
 tice and facilitating the application of theory to practice for students
 and staff learners, preceptors can help promote self-awareness and crit-
 ical thinking for students. That confidence and on-the-job training will
 foster  a  healthy  mentorship  and encourage future health care profes-
 sionals to pursue their health career in New  York  state.    Preceptor-
 ships,  however, are a time-consuming commitment and health care workers
 in New York state are hard-pressed  to  add  more  to  their  plates.  A
 stipend  program  would  incentivize  health  care  professionals  to be
 preceptors and take on the  responsibility  of  training  future  health
 professionals.
   §  3.  The  education law is amended by adding a new section 6505-f to
 read as follows:
   § 6505-F. CAPITAL REGION PRECEPTOR STIPEND PROGRAM. 1. PROGRAM  ESTAB-
 LISHED.   THE   CHIEF  ADMINISTRATIVE  OFFICER  OF  THE  OFFICE  OF  THE
 PROFESSIONS SHALL CREATE A "CAPITAL REGION  PRECEPTOR  STIPEND  PROGRAM"
 FOR PRECEPTOR CLINICIANS.  UNDER SUCH PROGRAM, A STIPEND SHALL BE ISSUED
 OUT  OF  FUNDS MADE AVAILABLE FOR SUCH PROGRAM PURSUANT TO APPROPRIATION
 FROM THE LEGISLATURE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE  PROFESSIONS  ACCOUNT  UNDER
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08950-01-5
              

 S. 4452                             2
 
 SECTION NINETY-SEVEN-NNN OF THE STATE FINANCE LAW, AND SHALL BE RELEASED
 IN  CHECK  FORM TO QUALIFIED PRECEPTOR CLINICIANS. THE CHIEF ADMINISTRA-
 TIVE OFFICER OF THE OFFICE OF THE  PROFESSIONS'  RESPONSIBILITIES  SHALL
 INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A)  PROMULGATING ANY NECESSARY RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE APPLICA-
 TION AND DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS;
   (B) CREATING A PROCESS TO ACCEPT AND SUBSEQUENTLY  REGISTER  PRECEPTOR
 CLINICIANS  INTO  THE  CAPITAL  REGION  PRECEPTOR STIPEND PROGRAM, AND A
 PROCESS TO DENY UNQUALIFIED PRECEPTOR CLINICIANS;
   (C) CREATING AN APPLICATION PROCESS WHEREBY CERTAIN CRITERIA AND QUAL-
 IFICATIONS SHALL BE  MET  BY  A  PRECEPTOR  CLINICIAN  ACCEPTED  TO  THE
 PROGRAM; AND
   (D)  CREATING  A  REVOCATION PROCESS FOR QUALIFIED CLINICAL PRECEPTOR-
 SHIPS THAT ARE TO BE TERMINATED.
   2. STIPEND. A RESIDENT OF NEW YORK STATE WHO  REGISTERS  WITH  AND  IS
 ACCEPTED  TO THE PROGRAM AND PROVIDES PRECEPTOR INSTRUCTION AS PART OF A
 CLINICAL PRECEPTORSHIP IN THE CAPITAL REGION SHALL BE ISSUED  A  STIPEND
 UPON ADMITTANCE INTO THE PROGRAM. SUCH STIPEND SHALL EQUAL FIVE THOUSAND
 DOLLARS.
   3.  ANNUAL  REVIEW.  AFTER THE PROGRAM'S FIRST FULL YEAR AND EACH YEAR
 THEREAFTER DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, THERE SHALL BE AN ANNUAL REVIEW
 CONDUCTED BY THE OFFICE OF THE PROFESSIONS WHICH SHALL PROVIDE, BUT  NOT
 BE LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:
   (A)  AN  AUDIT  AND RECORD OF ALL PRECEPTOR CLINICIANS WHO APPLIED AND
 BEEN EITHER DENIED OR ACCEPTED UNDER THE PROGRAM; AND
   (B) A RECORD AND AUDIT OF ALL STIPENDS DISTRIBUTED UNDER THE PROGRAM.
   4. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS SECTION,  THE  FOLLOWING  TERMS  SHALL
 HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A)  "PRECEPTOR CLINICIAN" MEANS ANY OF THE FOLLOWING WHO ARE EMPLOYED
 WITHIN THE CAPITAL REGION AND WHO, WITHOUT THE PROVISION OF ANY FORM  OF
 COMPENSATION  THEREFOR,  PROVIDES A CLINICAL PRECEPTORSHIP OR PRECEPTOR-
 SHIPS INCLUDING, BUT NOT  LIMITED  TO,  BOTH  COMMUNITY  AND  IN-PATIENT
 FACILITIES, AND CERTIFIED OR LICENSED PROVIDERS UNDER ARTICLE THIRTY-SIX
 OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW, DURING THE TAXABLE YEAR:
   (I) A PHYSICIAN LICENSED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE OF
 THIS TITLE;
   (II)  A  PHYSICIAN  ASSISTANT LICENSED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED
 THIRTY-ONE-B OF THIS TITLE;
   (III) A  SPECIALIST  ASSISTANT  REGISTERED  PURSUANT  TO  ARTICLE  ONE
 HUNDRED THIRTY-ONE-C OF THIS TITLE;
   (IV) A CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE ANESTHETIST CERTIFIED BY THE DEPART-
 MENT;
   (V)  A  REGISTERED  PROFESSIONAL  NURSE  LICENSED  PURSUANT TO SECTION
 SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED FIVE OF THIS TITLE;
   (VI) A NURSE PRACTITIONER CERTIFIED  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  SIXTY-NINE
 HUNDRED TEN OF THIS TITLE;
   (VII)  A  CLINICAL  NURSE  SPECIALIST  CERTIFIED  PURSUANT  TO SECTION
 SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED ELEVEN OF THIS TITLE; OR
   (VIII) A MIDWIFE LICENSED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE  ONE  HUNDRED  FORTY  OF
 THIS TITLE.
   (B)  "CAPITAL REGION" MEANS THE REGION OF THE STATE (I) CONTAINING THE
 FOLLOWING EIGHT COUNTIES: ALBANY, COLUMBIA, GREENE, SARATOGA, SCHENECTA-
 DY, RENSSELAER, WARREN, AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES;  AND  (II)  AS  FURTHER
 DEFINED BY THE REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS.
   (C)  "CLINICAL  PRECEPTORSHIP"  MEANS  A  PRECEPTORSHIP  FOR A STUDENT
 ENROLLED IN A NEW YORK STATE BASED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM APPROVED PURSUANT
 S. 4452                             3
 
 TO THIS TITLE TO BECOME A  PHYSICIAN,  PHYSICIAN  ASSISTANT,  SPECIALIST
 ASSISTANT,  CERTIFIED  REGISTERED  NURSE ANESTHETIST, REGISTERED PROFES-
 SIONAL NURSE, NURSE PRACTITIONER, CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST OR  MIDWIFE,
 AND  WHICH  PRECEPTORSHIP PROVIDES PRECEPTOR INSTRUCTION IN FAMILY MEDI-
 CINE, INTERNAL MEDICINE, PEDIATRICS, OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY, EMERGEN-
 CY MEDICINE, PSYCHIATRY, HOME HEALTHCARE, GENERAL SURGERY, OR GERONTOLO-
 GY  UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A PRECEPTOR CLINICIAN.
   (D) "PROGRAM" MEANS  THE  CAPITAL  REGION  PRECEPTOR  STIPEND  PROGRAM
 CREATED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION.
   (E)  "QUALIFIED  PRECEPTOR  CLINICIAN" MEANS A PRECEPTOR CLINICIAN WHO
 HAS QUALIFIED FOR THE CAPITAL REGION PRECEPTOR STIPEND PROGRAM  PURSUANT
 TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS CREATED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (B) OF SUBDIVI-
 SION  ONE  OF  THIS  SECTION,  AND  WHO IS ENTITLED TO RECEIVE A STIPEND
 PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
   § 4. Subdivision 3 of section 97-nnn of  the  state  finance  law,  as
 added  by  section  90  of part A of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, is
 amended to read as follows:
   3. Moneys of this account, following appropriation by the legislature,
 shall be available to the state education department  for  services  and
 expenses of the office of the professions, INCLUDING PAYMENT OF STIPENDS
 UNDER  THE CAPITAL REGION PRECEPTOR STIPEND PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT
 TO SECTION SIXTY-FIVE HUNDRED FIVE-F OF THE EDUCATION LAW, PROVIDED THAT
 THE FIRST YEAR PAYMENTS UNDER SUCH STIPEND PROGRAM SHALL NOT EXCEED FIVE
 MILLION DOLLARS.
   § 5. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,  amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.