S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3365
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 27, 2017
                                ___________
 
 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 first 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:
   §  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.
              

                                                            LBD04158-01-7

 A. 3365                             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.
   § 2. Section 6505-c of the education law, as added by chapter  106  of
 the laws of 2003, is amended to read as follows:
   §  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. 3365                             3
 
 PART  OF  AN  APPROVED  PROGRAM, THE COMMISSIONER AND THE DIRECTOR SHALL
 CONSIDER THE STANDARDS OF THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION.
   §  3.  The  education law is amended by adding a new section 6505-d to
 read as follows:
   § 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.
   §  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.
   § 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. 3365                             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  SEVEN-
 TEEN.  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 EIGHTEEN. 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.
   § 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. 3365                             5
 
   § 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.
   § 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.
   §  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.
   §  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. 3365                             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.
   § 9. Section 45 of the general city law is amended to read as follows:
   § 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.
   § 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.