N.Y. Education Law § 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.