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

                                 222--A

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 7, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education -- recom-
  mitted to the Committee on Higher Education in accordance with  Senate
  Rule  6,  sec.  8  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
  reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to  mandatory  continuing
  education for nurses

  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  6912
to read as follows:
  S  6912.  MANDATORY  CONTINUING  EDUCATION FOR REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL
NURSES. 1. (A) EACH  LICENSED  REGISTERED  PROFESSIONAL  NURSE  REQUIRED
UNDER  THIS ARTICLE TO REGISTER TRIENNIALLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT TO PRAC-
TICE IN THE STATE SHALL COMPLY WITH PROVISIONS OF THE MANDATORY CONTINU-
ING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS PRESCRIBED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION
EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPHS (B) AND (C) OF THIS SUBDIVISION. NURS-
ES WHO DO NOT SATISFY THE MANDATORY  CONTINUING  EDUCATION  REQUIREMENTS
SHALL  NOT PRACTICE UNTIL THEY HAVE MET SUCH REQUIREMENTS, AND HAVE BEEN
ISSUED A REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE, EXCEPT  THAT  A  NURSE  MAY  PRACTICE
WITHOUT  HAVING  MET  SUCH  REQUIREMENTS IF HE OR SHE IS ISSUED A CONDI-
TIONAL REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION  THREE  OF  THIS
SECTION.
  (B)  REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSES SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE MANDATORY
CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE TRIENNIAL  REGISTRATION  PERIOD
DURING  WHICH THEY ARE FIRST LICENSED. IN ACCORD WITH THE INTENT OF THIS
SECTION, ADJUSTMENT TO THE MANDATORY  CONTINUING  EDUCATION  REQUIREMENT
MAY  BE  GRANTED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR REASONS OF HEALTH CERTIFIED BY AN
APPROPRIATE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL, FOR EXTENDED ACTIVE DUTY WITH  THE

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD00328-02-6
              

S. 222--A                           2

ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES, OR FOR OTHER GOOD CAUSE ACCEPTABLE TO
THE DEPARTMENT WHICH MAY PREVENT COMPLIANCE.
  (C)  A  LICENSED REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSE NOT ENGAGED IN PRACTICE
AS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT, 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 PRAC-
TICE OF REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSING DURING THE  TRIENNIAL  REGISTRA-
TION  PERIOD SHALL NOTIFY THE DEPARTMENT PRIOR TO REENTERING THE PROFES-
SION AND SHALL MEET SUCH MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS  AS  SHALL  BE
PRESCRIBED BY REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER.
  2.  DURING  EACH TRIENNIAL REGISTRATION PERIOD AN APPLICANT FOR REGIS-
TRATION SHALL COMPLETE A  MINIMUM  OF  FORTY-FIVE  HOURS  OF  ACCEPTABLE
FORMAL  CONTINUING  EDUCATION,  AS SPECIFIED IN SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS
SECTION. ANY REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSE WHOSE FIRST REGISTRATION DATE
FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS  SECTION  OCCURS  LESS  THAN  THREE
YEARS  FROM  SUCH  EFFECTIVE  DATE,  SHALL COMPLETE CONTINUING EDUCATION
HOURS ON A PRORATED BASIS AT THE RATE OF ONE AND ONE  QUARTER  HOUR  PER
MONTH  FOR THE PERIOD BEGINNING JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN UP
TO THE FIRST REGISTRATION DATE THEREAFTER. A LICENSEE WHO HAS NOT SATIS-
FIED 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 FOR IN SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION.
  3. THE DEPARTMENT, IN ITS DISCRETION, MAY ISSUE A  CONDITIONAL  REGIS-
TRATION  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 COMPLETE ANY ADDITIONAL EDUCATION
WHICH  THE DEPARTMENT MAY REQUIRE. THE FEE FOR SUCH A CONDITIONAL REGIS-
TRATION SHALL BE THE SAME AS, AND IN ADDITION TO, THE FEE FOR THE TRIEN-
NIAL REGISTRATION. THE DURATION OF SUCH CONDITIONAL  REGISTRATION  SHALL
BE  DETERMINED  BY  THE  DEPARTMENT  BUT  SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE YEAR. ANY
LICENSEE WHO IS NOTIFIED OF THE DENIAL OF REGISTRATION  FOR  FAILURE  TO
SUBMIT  EVIDENCE, SATISFACTORY TO THE DEPARTMENT, OF REQUIRED CONTINUING
EDUCATION AND WHO PRACTICES REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSING WITHOUT SUCH
REGISTRATION, MAY BE SUBJECT TO  DISCIPLINARY  PROCEEDINGS  PURSUANT  TO
SECTION SIXTY-FIVE HUNDRED TEN OF THIS TITLE.
  4.  AS  USED  IN  SUBDIVISION  TWO OF THIS SECTION, "ACCEPTABLE FORMAL
CONTINUING EDUCATION" SHALL MEAN FORMAL COURSES  OF  LEARNING  THAT  ARE
ACCEPTABLE  TO  THE  DEPARTMENT,  INCLUDING COURSES IN AN ACCREDITED AND
APPROVED REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSING DEGREE OR CERTIFICATE  PROGRAM,
WHICH  CONTRIBUTE  TO PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AS A REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL
NURSE AND WHICH MEET THE STANDARDS  PRESCRIBED  BY  REGULATIONS  OF  THE
COMMISSIONER.
  5.  REGISTERED  PROFESSIONAL NURSES SHALL MAINTAIN ADEQUATE DOCUMENTA-
TION OF COMPLETION OF ACCEPTABLE FORMAL CONTINUING EDUCATION  AND  SHALL
PROVIDE SUCH DOCUMENTATION AT THE REQUEST OF THE DEPARTMENT.
  6. THE MANDATORY CONTINUING EDUCATION FEE SHALL BE FORTY-FIVE DOLLARS,
SHALL  BE PAYABLE ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF EACH TRIENNIAL REGISTRA-
TION PERIOD, AND SHALL BE PAID IN ADDITION TO THE TRIENNIAL REGISTRATION
FEE REQUIRED BY SECTION SIXTY-NINE HUNDRED FIVE OF THIS ARTICLE.
  S 2. This act shall take effect January 1,  2017;  provided  that  any
rules  and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act
on its effective date are authorized and  directed  to  be  promulgated,
repealed and/or amended by such effective date.