§ 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.