NY Educ L § 6711-B (2021)
2021 New York Laws EDN - Education Title 8 - The Professions Article 135 - Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health Technology 6711-B - Mandatory Continuing Education for Veterinary Technicians.

§  6711-b.  Mandatory continuing education for veterinary technicians. 1.  (a) Each veterinary technician, licensed pursuant to  this  article, required to register triennially with the department to practice in this state  shall  comply  with  the  provisions  of the mandatory continuing education requirements, except as set forth in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this  subdivision.  Veterinary  technicians  who  do  not  satisfy   the mandatory  continuing  education  requirements  shall not practice until they have met such requirement and have been issued  a  registration  or conditional registration certificate.  (b)   Veterinary  technicians  shall  be  exempt  from  the  mandatory continuing education requirement for the triennial  registration  period during  which  they are first licensed. In accordance with the intent of this  section,  adjustments  to  the  mandatory   continuing   education requirement  may  be  granted  by  the department for reasons of health, certified by a physician, for extended active duty with the armed forces of the United  States,  or  for  other  good  cause  acceptable  to  the department  which may prevent compliance. Veterinary technicians engaged on a full-time basis  in  the  teaching  of  veterinary  medicine  at  a veterinary   education  program  registered  by  the  department  or  an accrediting organization acceptable to the department  shall  be  exempt from the requirements of this section.  (c)  A  licensed  veterinary  technician,  not engaged in professional practice  shall  be  exempt  from  the  mandatory  continuing  education requirement upon the filing of a statement with the department declaring such  status.  Any  licensee  who  returns to the practice of veterinary technology  shall  notify  the  department  prior  to   reentering   the profession   and   shall   meet   such  mandatory  continuing  education requirements as shall be prescribed by regulation of the commissioner.   2.  During  each  triennial  registration  period  an  applicant   for registration shall complete a minimum of twenty-four hours of acceptable formal  continuing  education, a maximum of twelve hours of which may be self-instructional  coursework  acceptable  to   the   department.   Any veterinary  technician  whose  first  registration  date  following  the effective date of this section occurs less than three  years  from  such effective  date,  but  on  or  after January first, two thousand twelve, shall complete continuing education hours on a  prorated  basis  at  the rate  of  one  and  one-quarter hours per month for the period beginning January first, two thousand twelve up to  the  first  registration  date thereafter.  A  licensee  who has not satisfied the mandatory continuing education requirements shall not  be  issued  a  triennial  registration certificate  by the department and shall not practice unless and until a conditional  registration  certificate  is   issued   as   provided   in subdivision  three of this section, or until he or she has otherwise met the  requirements  of  this  section.  The  individual  licensee   shall determine  the  selection  of  courses  or programs of study pursuant to subdivision four of this section.   3.  The  department,  in  its  discretion,  may  issue  a  conditional registration  to  a  licensee who fails to meet the continuing education requirements established in subdivision two  of  this  section  but  who agrees  to  make  up  any deficiencies and take any additional education which the department  may  require.  The  fee  for  such  a  conditional registration  shall  be the same as, and in addition to, the fee for the triennial registration. The duration of  such  conditional  registration shall  be  determined by the department. Any licensee who is notified of the denial of registration for failure to submit evidence,  satisfactory to  the  department,  of completion of required continuing education and who practices veterinary technology without such  registration,  may  be  subject  to  disciplinary  proceedings  pursuant  to  section sixty-five hundred ten of this title.   4.  As  used in this section, "acceptable formal continuing education" shall mean formal programs of learning which contribute to  professional practice  of  veterinary  technology  which  are  offered by sponsors of veterinary technician continuing education approved by  the  department, in consultation with the state board for veterinary medicine, to fulfill the  mandatory  continuing education requirement. Sponsors of veterinary technician  continuing  education  shall  include  state   or   national professional   associations   established   to  further  the  veterinary professions and  shall  include  any  affiliates  of  such  associations including  local  veterinary  medical  societies  and  local  veterinary technician  societies  and  generally  recognized  state,  national  and international  veterinary and veterinary technician conferences at which professional  continuing  education  is  a  major  component   of   such conferences,  as  well  as  universities  and colleges offering programs leading to licensure in the veterinary medical professions. Sponsors  of veterinary  technician  continuing  education  shall file an application with the department and pay a fee of nine hundred dollars.   5. The mandatory continuing education fee shall be established by  the department,  and  shall  be  payable  on or before the first day of each triennial registration period, and shall be  paid  in  addition  to  the triennial  registration  fee  required  by  section  sixty-seven hundred eleven of this article.