S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  7232

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                             April 29, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  DenDEKKER  --  read once and referred to the
  Committee on Higher Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in  relation  to  course  credit  for
  veterans,  articulation  between  military  and  civilian professional
  careers and application for admission to practice of a profession by a
  veteran or a veteran's spouse; to amend the general business  law,  in
  relation to licensing, certification and registration for veterans and
  veteran's  spouses; to amend  the vehicle and traffic law, in relation
  to providing motor vehicle inspector certification and mechanic quali-
  fications; to amend the public health  law,  in  relation  to  certif-
  ication  of  responder  or emergency medical technicians; to amend the
  county law, in relation to licensure of master  electricians;  and  to
  amend the general city law, in relation to plumber certification

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section  669-h
to read as follows:
  S  669-H. COURSE CREDIT FOR VETERANS. 1. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION,
THE TERM "VETERAN" MEANS A PERSON, MALE  OR  FEMALE,  RESIDENT  OF  THIS
STATE,  WHO  HAS  SERVED  IN THE ACTIVE MILITARY OR NAVAL SERVICE OF THE
UNITED STATES DURING A WAR IN WHICH THE UNITED STATES  WAS  ENGAGED  AND
WHO  HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM SUCH SERVICE BY ANY MEANS OF AN HONORABLE OR
GENERAL DISCHARGE, OR WHO HAS BEEN FURLOUGHED TO THE RESERVE.
  2. EVERY VETERAN WHO IS ENROLLED ON A FULL-TIME BASIS AS AN UNDERGRAD-
UATE STUDENT IN GOOD  STANDING,  AT  AN  INSTITUTION  WITHIN  THE  STATE
UNIVERSITY  SYSTEM,  SHALL UPON APPLICATION AND APPROVAL OF THE CHANCEL-
LOR, OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE, BE GRANTED UP TO SIX ACADEMIC  CREDITS  PER
SEMESTER  TOWARDS  HIS OR HER DEGREE FOR COMPLETION OF COURSES THAT WERE
PART OF SUCH VETERAN'S MILITARY TRAINING OR SERVICE.  IN DETERMINING THE
APPROVAL OF SUCH VETERAN'S APPLICATION, THE CHANCELLOR, OR  HIS  OR  HER
DESIGNEE, SHALL CONSIDER THE STANDARDS OF THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCA-

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD06693-03-5
              

A. 7232                             2

TION. NO FEE, TUITION OR OTHER CHARGE SHALL BE ASSESSED AGAINST A VETER-
AN WHO QUALIFIES FOR SUCH CREDIT PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
  3.  THE  CHANCELLOR OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK MAY PROMULGATE
RULES AND REGULATIONS AS ARE NECESSARY TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS
OF THIS  SECTION.
  S 2. Section 6505-c of the education law, as added by chapter  106  of
the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:
  S  6505-c.  Articulation  between  military  and civilian professional
careers. 1. The commissioner shall develop, jointly with the director of
the division of veterans' affairs, a program to facilitate  articulation
between  participation  in  the military service of the United States or
the military service of the state and admission to practice of a profes-
sion. The commissioner and the director shall identify, review and eval-
uate professional training programs offered through either the  military
service  of the United States or the military service of the state which
may, where applicable, be  accepted  by  the  department  as  equivalent
education  and  training  in lieu of all or part of an approved program.
Particular emphasis shall be placed on the  identification  of  military
programs  which have previously been deemed acceptable by the department
as equivalent education and training, programs which may provide,  where
applicable,  equivalent  education  and  training  for those professions
which are critical to public health and safety and  programs  which  may
provide,  where  applicable, equivalent education and training for those
professions for which shortages exist in the  state  of  New  York,  AND
PROGRAMS  WHICH  MAY PROVIDE, WHERE APPLICABLE, EQUIVALENT EDUCATION AND
TRAINING FOR THOSE PROFESSIONS WHICH WOULD PROMOTE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOP-
MENT, JOB CREATION OR TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT OF BUSINESS IN THE STATE
OF NEW YORK.
  2. The commissioner and the director shall prepare  a  list  of  those
military  programs  which  have previously been deemed acceptable by the
department as equivalent education and training in lieu of all  or  part
of  an approved program no later than the thirtieth of August, two thou-
sand three. On and after such date, such list shall be made available to
the public and applicants for admission to practice of a profession.
  3. The commissioner and the director shall prepare  a  list  of  those
military programs which may provide, where applicable, equivalent educa-
tion  and  training  for  those professions which are critical to public
health and safety, programs which may provide, where applicable,  equiv-
alent  education  and training for those professions for which shortages
exist in the state of New York, PROGRAMS WHICH MAY PROVIDE, WHERE APPLI-
CABLE, EQUIVALENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING  FOR  THOSE  PROFESSIONS  WHICH
WOULD  PROMOTE  THE  ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, JOB CREATION OR TECHNOLOGICAL
ADVANCEMENT OF BUSINESS IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK and any other  military
programs  which  may, where applicable, be accepted by the department as
equivalent education and training in lieu of all or part of an  approved
program  no  later than the thirty-first of October, two thousand three.
On and after such date, such list shall be made available to the  public
and applicants for admission to practice of a profession.
  4.  Such  lists shall be prepared annually no later than the thirtieth
of June thereafter with additions and  deletions  made  jointly  by  the
commissioner  and  the  director  and  made  available to the public and
applicants for admission to practice of a profession on such date.
  5. IN THEIR DETERMINATION PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION OF  WHICH  MILITARY
PROGRAMS PROVIDE EQUIVALENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING, SO AS TO BE ACCEPTED
BY THE DEPARTMENT AS EQUIVALENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN LIEU OF ALL OR

A. 7232                             3

PART  OF  AN  APPROVED  PROGRAM, THE COMMISSIONER AND THE DIRECTOR SHALL
CONSIDER THE STANDARDS OF THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION.
  S  3.  The  education law is amended by adding a new section 6505-d to
read as follows:
  S 6505-D. APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TO THE PRACTICE OF A PROFESSION BY
A VETERAN OR A SPOUSE OF A VETERAN. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL  PROVIDE  FOR
AN  EXPEDITED  APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TO THE PRACTICE OF A PROFESSION
BY A VETERAN OR A SPOUSE OF A VETERAN. SUCH APPLICATION SHALL BE  DETER-
MINED BY THE COMMISSIONER WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF THE FILING OF THE APPLI-
CATION  WITH  THE COMMISSIONER BY THE VETERAN OR SPOUSE OF A VETERAN. IN
MAKING THE DETERMINATION FOR THE VETERAN,  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL,  IN
ADDITION TO THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF THE VETERAN, ALSO CONSIDER THE
EQUIVALENT  EDUCATION  AND  TRAINING  OF THE VETERAN, IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SECTION SIXTY-FIVE HUNDRED FIVE-C OF  THIS  SUBARTICLE.  IN  MAKING  THE
DETERMINATION  FOR THE VETERAN'S SPOUSE, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL CONSIDER
THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF THE VETERAN'S SPOUSE,  TOGETHER  WITH  ANY
EQUIVALENT  EDUCATION, TRAINING, PAST ADMISSION OR PAST PRACTICE OF SUCH
SPOUSE OF SUCH PROFESSION IN ANOTHER  JURISDICTION,  TOGETHER  WITH  THE
STANDARDS  OF  THE  AMERICAN  COUNCIL  ON EDUCATION. IF THE COMMISSIONER
DETERMINES THAT THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF THE VETERAN OR THE  VETER-
AN'S  SPOUSE,  AND/OR  THEIR  PAST ADMISSION OR PAST PRACTICE IN ANOTHER
JURISDICTION, IS ESSENTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO  THE  REQUIREMENTS  NECESSARY
FOR  ADMISSION  TO  PRACTICE  THE PROFESSION IN NEW YORK STATE, THEN THE
COMMISSIONER SHALL GRANT SUCH VETERAN OR VETERAN'S SPOUSE  ADMISSION  TO
PRACTICE THE PROFESSION IN NEW YORK STATE.
  S  4.  The general business law is amended by adding a new article 2-A
to read as follows:
                                ARTICLE 2-A
    LICENSING, CERTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION FOR VETERANS AND VETERAN
                                 SPOUSES
SECTION 20-A. ARTICULATION BETWEEN MILITARY  AND  CIVILIAN  PROFESSIONAL
                CAREERS.
        20-B. APPLICATION  FOR  LICENSING, CERTIFICATION OR REGISTRATION
                TO PRACTICE A PROFESSION BY A VETERAN OR A SPOUSE  OF  A
                VETERAN.
  S 20-A. ARTICULATION   BETWEEN   MILITARY  AND  CIVILIAN  PROFESSIONAL
CAREERS.  1. THE SECRETARY OF STATE  SHALL  DEVELOP,  JOINTLY  WITH  THE
DIRECTOR  OF  THE DIVISION OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS, A PROGRAM TO FACILITATE
ARTICULATION BETWEEN PARTICIPATION IN THE ARMED  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED
STATES  OR  THE MILITARY SERVICE OF THE STATE AND THE LICENSING, CERTIF-
ICATION  AND  REGISTRATION  FOR  VETERANS  TO  PRACTICE  ANY  PROFESSION
LICENSED,  CERTIFIED  OR REGISTERED PURSUANT TO THIS CHAPTER. THE SECRE-
TARY AND THE DIRECTOR SHALL IDENTIFY, REVIEW AND  EVALUATE  PROFESSIONAL
TRAINING  PROGRAMS OFFERED THROUGH EITHER THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED
STATES OR THE MILITARY SERVICE OF THE STATE WHICH MAY, WHERE APPLICABLE,
BE ACCEPTED BY THE DEPARTMENT AS EQUIVALENT EDUCATION  AND  TRAINING  IN
LIEU OF ALL OR PART OF AN APPROVED PROGRAM. PARTICULAR EMPHASIS SHALL BE
PLACED  ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF MILITARY PROGRAMS WHICH HAVE PREVIOUSLY
BEEN DEEMED ACCEPTABLE BY THE DEPARTMENT  AS  EQUIVALENT  EDUCATION  AND
TRAINING,  PROGRAMS  WHICH  MAY  PROVIDE,  WHERE  APPLICABLE, EQUIVALENT
EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR  THOSE  PROFESSIONS  WHICH  ARE  CRITICAL  TO
PUBLIC  HEALTH AND SAFETY AND PROGRAMS WHICH MAY PROVIDE, WHERE APPLICA-
BLE, EQUIVALENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR THOSE PROFESSIONS  FOR  WHICH
SHORTAGES  EXIST  IN  THE  STATE  AND  PROGRAMS WHICH MAY PROVIDE, WHERE
APPLICABLE, EQUIVALENT EDUCATION  AND  TRAINING  FOR  THOSE  PROFESSIONS

A. 7232                             4

WHICH WOULD PROMOTE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, JOB CREATION OR TECHNOLOG-
ICAL ADVANCEMENT OF BUSINESS IN THE STATE.
  2.  THE SECRETARY AND THE DIRECTOR SHALL PREPARE A LIST OF THOSE MILI-
TARY PROGRAMS WHICH  HAVE  PREVIOUSLY  BEEN  DEEMED  ACCEPTABLE  BY  THE
DEPARTMENT  AS  EQUIVALENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN LIEU OF ALL OR PART
OF AN APPROVED  PROGRAM  NO  LATER  THAN  JANUARY  FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND
SIXTEEN.  ON  AND  AFTER SUCH DATE, SUCH LIST SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO
THE PUBLIC AND APPLICANTS FOR ADMISSION TO PRACTICE OF A PROFESSION.
  3. THE SECRETARY AND THE DIRECTOR SHALL PREPARE A LIST OF THOSE  MILI-
TARY  PROGRAMS WHICH MAY PROVIDE, WHERE APPLICABLE, EQUIVALENT EDUCATION
AND TRAINING FOR THOSE PROFESSIONS WHICH ARE CRITICAL TO  PUBLIC  HEALTH
AND  SAFETY,  PROGRAMS  WHICH  MAY PROVIDE, WHERE APPLICABLE, EQUIVALENT
EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR THOSE PROFESSIONS FOR WHICH  SHORTAGES  EXIST
IN  THE  STATE, PROGRAMS WHICH MAY PROVIDE, WHERE APPLICABLE, EQUIVALENT
EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR THOSE PROFESSIONS  WHICH  WOULD  PROMOTE  THE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, JOB CREATION OR TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT OF BUSI-
NESS  IN  THE  STATE  AND  ANY  OTHER MILITARY PROGRAMS WHICH MAY, WHERE
APPLICABLE, BE ACCEPTED BY THE DEPARTMENT AS  EQUIVALENT  EDUCATION  AND
TRAINING IN LIEU OF ALL OR PART OF AN APPROVED PROGRAM NO LATER THAN THE
THIRTY-FIRST OF OCTOBER, TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN. ON AND AFTER SUCH DATE,
SUCH  LIST  SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND APPLICANTS FOR THE
LICENSING, CERTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION TO THE PRACTICE OF  A  PROFES-
SION.
  4.  SUCH  LISTS SHALL BE PREPARED ANNUALLY NO LATER THAN THE THIRTIETH
OF JUNE THEREAFTER WITH ADDITIONS AND  DELETIONS  MADE  JOINTLY  BY  THE
SECRETARY  AND  THE DIRECTOR AND MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND APPLI-
CANTS FOR THE LICENSING, CERTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION TO THE  PRACTICE
OF A PROFESSION ON SUCH DATE.
  5.  IN  THEIR DETERMINATION PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION OF WHICH MILITARY
PROGRAMS PROVIDE EQUIVALENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING, SO AS TO BE ACCEPTED
BY THE DEPARTMENT AS EQUIVALENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN LIEU OF ALL OR
PART OF AN APPROVED  PROGRAM,  THE  SECRETARY  AND  THE  DIRECTOR  SHALL
CONSIDER THE STANDARDS OF THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION.
  S  20-B.  APPLICATION  FOR LICENSING, CERTIFICATION OR REGISTRATION TO
PRACTICE A PROFESSION BY A VETERAN OR A SPOUSE OF A VETERAN. THE  SECRE-
TARY  OF STATE SHALL PROVIDE FOR AN EXPEDITED APPLICATION FOR LICENSING,
CERTIFICATION OR REGISTRATION TO THE  PRACTICE  OF  A  PROFESSION  BY  A
VETERAN  OR  A SPOUSE OF A VETERAN. SUCH APPLICATION SHALL BE DETERMINED
BY THE SECRETARY WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF THE  FILING  OF  THE  APPLICATION
WITH  THE SECRETARY BY THE VETERAN OR SPOUSE OF A VETERAN. IN MAKING THE
DETERMINATION FOR THE VETERAN, THE SECRETARY SHALL, IN ADDITION  TO  THE
EDUCATION  AND  TRAINING  OF  THE  VETERAN, ALSO CONSIDER THE EQUIVALENT
EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF THE VETERAN, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION  TWEN-
TY-A  OF  THIS  ARTICLE.  IN  MAKING THE DETERMINATION FOR THE VETERAN'S
SPOUSE, THE SECRETARY SHALL CONSIDER THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING  OF  THE
VETERAN'S SPOUSE, TOGETHER WITH ANY EQUIVALENT EDUCATION, TRAINING, PAST
LICENSING, CERTIFICATION OR REGISTRATION OR PAST PRACTICE OF SUCH SPOUSE
OF  SUCH PROFESSION IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION, TOGETHER WITH THE STANDARDS
OF THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION. IF THE SECRETARY  DETERMINES  THAT
THE  EDUCATION  AND  TRAINING  OF  THE  VETERAN OR THE VETERAN'S SPOUSE,
AND/OR THEIR PAST LICENSING, CERTIFICATION OR REGISTRATION OR PAST PRAC-
TICE IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION, IS ESSENTIALLY EQUIVALENT TO THE  REQUIRE-
MENTS NECESSARY FOR LICENSING, CERTIFICATION OR REGISTRATION TO PRACTICE
THE PROFESSION IN THE STATE, THEN THE SECRETARY SHALL GRANT SUCH VETERAN
OR VETERAN'S SPOUSE LICENSING, CERTIFICATION OR REGISTRATION TO PRACTICE
SUCH PROFESSION.

A. 7232                             5

  S  5. Subdivision (c) of section 304-a of the vehicle and traffic law,
as added by chapter 61 of the laws  of  1989,  is  amended  to  read  as
follows:
  (c) The commissioner may, by regulation, establish standards of compe-
tency  and fitness for certification as an inspector; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
THAT ANY PERSON WHO WAS A MEMBER OF  THE  ARMED  FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED
STATES,  NATIONAL  GUARD  OR  RESERVES  AND WHO BY MILITARY TRAINING AND
PRACTICE ACQUIRED THE SKILLS OF  A  MOTOR  VEHICLE  INSPECTOR  SHALL  BE
CERTIFIED BY THE COMMISSIONER AS AN INSPECTOR.
  S 6. Section 398-d of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding
a new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
  8.  ANY  PERSON  WHO  WAS  A  MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED
STATES, NATIONAL GUARD OR RESERVES, AND WHO  BY  MILITARY  TRAINING  AND
PRACTICE  ACQUIRES  THE  SKILLS  OF  A  MOTOR VEHICLE MECHANIC, SHALL BE
DEEMED TO BE QUALIFIED TO PERFORM WORK  UPON  MOTOR  VEHICLES  AT  MOTOR
VEHICLE REPAIR SHOPS.
  S  7.  Subdivision  2  of  section  3002  of the public health law, as
amended by chapter 580 of the laws  of  2007,  is  amended  to  read  as
follows:
  2. The state council shall have the power, by an affirmative vote of a
majority  of  those present, subject to approval by the commissioner, to
enact, and from time to time, amend and repeal,  rules  and  regulations
establishing minimum standards for ambulance services, ambulance service
certification,  advanced  life  support  first  response  services,  the
provision of prehospital emergency medical care, public  education,  the
development  of  a  statewide  emergency  medical  services  system, the
provision of ambulance services outside the primary territory  specified
in  the  ambulance  services' certificate and the training, examination,
and certification of certified first responders, emergency medical tech-
nicians, and advanced emergency medical technicians; provided,  however,
that  such minimum standards must be consistent with the staffing stand-
ards established by section three thousand five-a of this article.  Such
training  shall  be  made  available by video or computer to the maximum
extent possible. [Until January first, nineteen hundred ninety-seven, no
minimum standards shall be established for services provided by a volun-
tary ambulance service operating  solely  pursuant  to  a  statement  of
registration  issued  under section three thousand four.] The curriculum
for certified first responder training shall not exceed fifty-one  hours
including  prerequisites.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER PROVISION OF THIS
ARTICLE TO THE CONTRARY, ANY PERSON WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES
OF THE UNITED STATES, NATIONAL GUARD OR RESERVES, AND  WHO  BY  MILITARY
TRAINING AND PRACTICE WAS A MEDIC OR CORPSMAN, SHALL BE CERTIFIED, WITH-
OUT  EXAMINATION,  BY THE STATE COUNCIL AND REGIONAL COUNCILS AS A FIRST
RESPONDER OR EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN. The state council shall  have
the  same  powers  granted  to  regional councils by this article in any
region of the state in which a regional  council  has  not  been  estab-
lished.
  S  8.  Subdivision 1 of section 236-a of the county law, as amended by
chapter 257 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
  1. Notwithstanding the provisions of the general city law or any other
law to the contrary, the counties of Dutchess, Suffolk  and  Westchester
are  each hereby authorized to establish a county board of examiners for
master electricians and to empower such board to  assume  all  licensing
duties  within  each such county with respect to the licensure of master
electricians.   PROVIDED, THAT  SUCH  COUNTIES  SHALL  PROVIDE  FOR  THE
LICENSING,  WITHOUT  EXAMINATION,  AS A MASTER ELECTRICIAN OF ANY PERSON

A. 7232                             6

WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  NATIONAL
GUARD  OR  RESERVES,  AND WHO BY MILITARY TRAINING AND PRACTICE ACQUIRED
THE SKILLS OF AN ELECTRICIAN. The  counties  of  Dutchess,  Suffolk  and
Westchester  shall provide for master electrician's duties and responsi-
bilities in accordance with the local law of each such county.
  S 9. Section 45 of the general city law is amended to read as follows:
  S 45. Examinations; conducting business without certificate  prohibit-
ed.  A  person  desiring  or intending to conduct the trade, business or
calling of a plumber or of plumbing in a city of this state as employing
or master plumber, shall be required to submit to an examination  before
such examining board of plumbers as to his experience and qualifications
for  such  trade, business or calling, and it shall not be lawful in any
city of this state for a person to conduct such trade, business or call-
ing, unless he shall have first obtained  a  certificate  of  competency
from  such board of the city in which he conducts or proposes to conduct
such business.  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT ANY PERSON WHO WAS A  MEMBER  OF
THE  ARMED  FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES, NATIONAL GUARD OR RESERVES, AND
WHO BY MILITARY TRAINING AND PRACTICE ACQUIRED THE SKILLS OF A  PLUMBER,
SHALL BE CERTIFIED AS COMPETENT WITHOUT EXAMINATION.
  S 10. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
ing  the  date  on  which it shall have become a law, provided, however,
that section one of this act shall take effect on the first of July next
succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law; provided, that,
effective immediately, any rules and regulations necessary to  implement
the  provisions  of  this  act  on its effective date are authorized and
directed to be amended, added and/or repealed on or before such date.