Senate Bill S8788

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8788
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 8, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  ORTT  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 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
 S. 8788                             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.
 S. 8788                             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.