Bill Text: NY A05495 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Requires mandatory reporting of certain convictions, professional misconduct and/or employment termination; defines terms; further requires all licensees to report to the education department any conviction of a crime in any jurisdiction within thirty days after the entry of a judgment of conviction; authorizes the commissioner or deputy commissioner for the professions to issue a summary suspension order under certain circumstances; authorizes the district attorney to give written notice to the department of education upon the conviction of a felony or misdemeanor of any person holding a license pursuant to title eight of the education law; makes related provisions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2022-02-08 - REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION [A05495 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-A05495-Introduced.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          5495

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    February 19, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced by M. of A. GLICK, FAHY, STIRPE, GRIFFIN, COLTON -- read once
          and referred to the Committee on Higher Education

        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to mandatory reporting of
          certain  convictions, professional misconduct and/or employment termi-
          nation; and to amend the criminal procedure law, in relation to notice
          to the education department

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  Section  6501 of the education law, as amended by chapter
     2  299 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:
     3    § 6501. Admission to a profession (licensing). 1. Admission  to  prac-
     4  tice  of  a  profession in this state is accomplished by a license being
     5  issued to a qualified applicant by the [education] department. To quali-
     6  fy for a license an applicant shall meet the requirements prescribed  in
     7  the  article  for  the particular profession and shall meet the require-
     8  ments prescribed in section 3-503 of the general obligations law.
     9    2. Mandatory reporting of convictions, professional misconduct  and/or
    10  employment termination.
    11    a. For purposes of this subdivision:
    12    (1)  "Employment termination" means termination of employment and/or a
    13  voluntary or involuntary resignation to avoid such termination,  due  to
    14  professional misconduct, unprofessional conduct, incompetency undertaken
    15  by  or on behalf of a hospital, institution, or employer, for determined
    16  or admitted misconduct directly related to the professional  duties  for
    17  which the licensee was licensed.
    18    (2) "Crime" means a misdemeanor or felony under:
    19    (i) New York state law;
    20    (ii) federal law; or
    21    (iii)  the  law of another jurisdiction and which, if committed within
    22  this state, would have constituted a crime under New York state law.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD07641-01-1

        A. 5495                             2

     1    (3) "Criminal history record" means a record  of  all  convictions  of
     2  crimes  and  any pending criminal charges maintained on an individual by
     3  the division of criminal justice and  the  federal  bureau  of  investi-
     4  gation.
     5    (4)  "Entry  of  a  judgment  of  conviction"  means the date on which
     6  sentence,  including  but  not  limited  to  imprisonment,  a  term   of
     7  probation,  or  a fine, was imposed or, if no such sentence was imposed,
     8  the date the judgment of conviction was entered in the  court  in  which
     9  the case was determined.
    10    (5)  "Licensee" shall mean a person registered, certified, or licensed
    11  under this title.  However, this definition shall not apply to discipli-
    12  nary proceedings in relation to the profession of medicine,  physician's
    13  assistants, and specialist assistants, who are under the jurisdiction of
    14  the office of professional medical conduct pursuant to the provisions of
    15  title II-A of article two of the public health law.
    16    b.  (1)  All licensees under this title shall be required to report to
    17  the department any conviction of a  crime  in  any  jurisdiction  within
    18  thirty days after the entry of a judgment of conviction.
    19    (2)  All licensees under this title shall be required to report to the
    20  department any determination of professional misconduct in any jurisdic-
    21  tion within thirty days after  notification  of  such  determination  of
    22  professional misconduct was received by such individual.
    23    (3)  All licensees under this title shall be required to report to the
    24  department any employment termination in any jurisdiction within  thirty
    25  days  after  notification of such termination was received by such indi-
    26  vidual.
    27    (4) The department shall provide licensees with notice of the  report-
    28  ing requirements and procedures for reporting described in this subdivi-
    29  sion  by  prominently  posting  said  requirements  on  the department's
    30  website and including information regarding said requirements  conspicu-
    31  ously  on  the  application  for  licensure  form  and each registration
    32  renewal form.
    33    (5) Willful failure of a licensee to submit a report to the department
    34  within such thirty day period may be grounds for professional misconduct
    35  pursuant to section sixty-five hundred of this subarticle.
    36    (6) The reporting requirements of this subdivision shall only apply to
    37  convictions, professional misconduct and  employment  terminations  that
    38  occur on or after the effective date of this subdivision.
    39    (7)  A  licensee  shall  submit a report to the department pursuant to
    40  this subdivision on a form prescribed by  the  commissioner.  Such  form
    41  shall be made publicly available on the department's website.
    42    c. All reports submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be consid-
    43  ered  part of the investigatory file and confidential pursuant to subdi-
    44  vision eight of section sixty-five hundred ten of this article.
    45    d. Upon receipt of a report from a licensee that the licensee has been
    46  convicted of a crime, or is the subject of a  determination  of  profes-
    47  sional  misconduct  or  employment termination, the department may refer
    48  the report to the professional conduct officer for an investigation  and
    49  potential disciplinary action pursuant to section sixty-five hundred ten
    50  of this article.
    51    e.  In the event that a licensee is convicted of a crime, the district
    52  attorney shall provide notice thereof to the  commissioner  pursuant  to
    53  section  440.55  of the criminal procedure law. Upon receipt of a report
    54  from a district attorney that a licensee has been convicted of a  crime,
    55  the  department may refer the report to the professional conduct officer

        A. 5495                             3

     1  for an investigation  and  potential  disciplinary  action  pursuant  to
     2  section sixty-five hundred ten of this article.
     3    f.  Upon  notification  that  a licensee has been convicted of a crime
     4  under this section, the department may request a criminal history record
     5  from the division of criminal justice  services,  and  the  division  of
     6  criminal  justice services shall forward such criminal history record to
     7  the department in a timely  manner.  The  consideration  of  a  criminal
     8  history  record  by  the department shall be in a manner consistent with
     9  article twenty-three-A of the correction law.
    10    3. a. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any appli-
    11  cant seeking to qualify for a license pursuant to this title who is  the
    12  spouse  of  an  active  duty  member  of  the armed forces of the United
    13  States, national guard or reserves as defined in 10 U.S.C. sections 1209
    14  and 1211, and such spouse is transferred by the military to  this  state
    15  shall  be  afforded  an  expedited  review of his or her application for
    16  licensure. Such application shall be on a form prescribed by the depart-
    17  ment and shall include an attestation by the applicant of  the  military
    18  status  of his or her spouse and any other such supporting documentation
    19  that the department may require. Upon review of  such  application,  the
    20  department shall issue a license to the applicant if the applicant holds
    21  a  license  in  good standing in another state and in the opinion of the
    22  department, the requirements for  licensure  of  such  other  state  are
    23  substantially  equivalent  to  the  requirements  for  licensure in this
    24  state.
    25    b. In addition to the expedited review granted in paragraph a of  this
    26  subdivision,  an  applicant who provides satisfactory documentation that
    27  he or she holds a license in  good  standing  from  another  state,  may
    28  request  the  issuance of a temporary practice permit, which, if granted
    29  will permit the applicant to work under the supervision of  a  New  York
    30  state  licensee  in accordance with regulations of the commissioner. The
    31  department may grant such temporary  practice  permit  when  it  appears
    32  based  on the application and supporting documentation received that the
    33  applicant will meet the requirements for licensure in this state because
    34  he or she holds a license in  good  standing  from  another  state  with
    35  significantly  comparable licensure requirements to those of this state,
    36  except the department has not been able to secure direct source  verifi-
    37  cation  of  the  applicant's  underlying  credentials  (e.g., receipt of
    38  original transcript, experience  verification).  Such  permit  shall  be
    39  valid  for  six  months  or  until  ten days after notification that the
    40  applicant does not meet the qualifications for licensure. An  additional
    41  six  months  may  be granted upon a determination by the department that
    42  the applicant is expected to qualify for the full license  upon  receipt
    43  of  the  remaining direct source verification documents requested by the
    44  department in such time period and  that  the  delay  in  providing  the
    45  necessary  documentation  for  full  licensure  was  due  to extenuating
    46  circumstances which the military spouse could not avoid.
    47    c. A temporary practice permit issued under paragraph b of this subdi-
    48  vision shall be subject to the full disciplinary and regulatory authori-
    49  ty of the board of regents and the department, pursuant to  this  title,
    50  as  if  such authorization were a professional license issued under this
    51  article.
    52    d. The department shall reduce the initial licensure  application  fee
    53  by  one-half  for  any  application submitted by a military spouse under
    54  this subdivision.

        A. 5495                             4

     1    § 2. Subdivision 5 of section 8004 of the education law, as  added  by
     2  chapter  635  of the laws of 1991, is amended and a new subdivision 6 is
     3  added to read as follows:
     4    5. Be at least eighteen years of age[.]; and
     5    6. Be of good moral character as determined by the department.
     6    §  3.  Subdivisions  5  and 6 of section 8355 of the education law, as
     7  added by chapter 798 of the  laws  of  1992,  are  amended  to  read  as
     8  follows:
     9    5. Age: be at least twenty-one years of age; [and]
    10    6. Character:  be of good moral character as determined by the depart-
    11  ment; and
    12    7. Fees:  pay  a fee for an initial certificate of one hundred dollars
    13  to the department; and a fee of fifty dollars for each triennial  regis-
    14  tration period.
    15    §  4. Subdivision 6 of section 8705 of the education law is renumbered
    16  subdivision 7 and a new subdivision 6 is added to read as follows:
    17    6. Character: be of good moral character as determined by the  depart-
    18  ment; and
    19    §  5.  Section  6510  of  the education law is amended by adding a new
    20  subdivision 10 to read as follows:
    21    10. Summary suspension and expedited hearing.
    22    a. For the purposes of this subdivision only:
    23    (1) "Date of service" means the date on which the licensee  or  regis-
    24  tered  entity  receives  a document from the department by registered or
    25  certified mail or by personal service.
    26    (2) "Department officer" shall mean an employee of the department with
    27  significant programmatic, policy and supervisory responsibility, who  is
    28  not  an  attorney  who  presents  cases  on  behalf of the department in
    29  proceedings under this subdivision.
    30    b. Notice of hearing and summary suspension order.
    31    (1)  Whenever  the  commissioner  or  deputy  commissioner   for   the
    32  professions  determines  after  an investigation and a recommendation by
    33  the professional conduct officer  that  the  public  health,  safety  or
    34  welfare  imperatively  requires  emergency action against a professional
    35  license, certificate, registration, permit or other authorization of the
    36  licensee or registered entity under  this  title,  the  commissioner  or
    37  deputy  commissioner  for  the  professions  may notify such licensee or
    38  registered entity that a hearing will be conducted  to  determine  if  a
    39  summary  suspension order shall be issued, or the commissioner or deputy
    40  commissioner for the professions may issue a summary  suspension  order,
    41  suspending  such  licensee or registered entity's privileges to practice
    42  such profession pursuant to this title in the state of New  York,  imme-
    43  diately or as of a specified future date. Except as provided in subpara-
    44  graph two of this paragraph, such summary suspension order may remain in
    45  effect  until  a  final  determination  is  made by the board of regents
    46  pursuant to this subdivision. Notwithstanding any other provision of law
    47  to the contrary, the department shall make such summary suspension order
    48  available to the licensee or registered entity and shall  indicate  such
    49  summary  suspension  on  the department's website on the verification of
    50  licenses page.
    51    (2) The commissioner or deputy commissioner for the professions may at
    52  any time, before a final determination is made under  this  subdivision,
    53  vacate such summary suspension order pursuant to this subdivision if the
    54  public  health,  safety or welfare no longer imperatively requires emer-
    55  gency action against a professional license, certificate,  registration,

        A. 5495                             5

     1  permit  or  other  authorization of the licensee or registered entity to
     2  practice under this title.
     3    c. Order proceedings.
     4    (1)  Proceedings  shall be commenced by service of the summary suspen-
     5  sion order, if any, a statement of the charges including the  facts  and
     6  circumstances that are alleged to justify the hearing or summary suspen-
     7  sion order, and a notice of hearing, which shall be served on the licen-
     8  see  or  registered entity pursuant to paragraph f of subdivision one of
     9  this section.
    10    (2) (i) The department shall schedule a hearing to  commence  no  less
    11  than  ten nor more than forty-five days after the date of service of the
    12  notice of hearing and summary suspension order, if any, and statement of
    13  charges, unless otherwise requested or consented to by the  licensee  or
    14  registered  entity,  before a public health and safety discipline review
    15  committee. Such committee shall consist of at least  three  members,  at
    16  least  one  of  whom  shall be a regent, at least one of whom shall be a
    17  member of the applicable state board regulating such profession, and the
    18  remaining member may be either a regent or  a  department  officer.  The
    19  summary  suspension  order,  if  any, statement of charges and notice of
    20  hearing shall be sent to the licensee or registered entity by registered
    21  or certified mail or be personally served.
    22    (ii) The commissioner or deputy commissioner for the professions shall
    23  designate an administrative officer, admitted to practice as an attorney
    24  in the state of New York, who shall have the authority to  rule  on  all
    25  motions,  procedures and other legal objections and shall draft a report
    26  at the direction of such committee members, which shall  be  subject  to
    27  the approval of the members of the committee. The administrative officer
    28  shall  not  be  entitled  to  a  vote, and such administrative officer's
    29  report shall reflect the views of the committee members.
    30    (3) The notice of hearing shall specify that the purpose of the  hear-
    31  ing  is  to  determine  whether  a  summary  suspension  order should be
    32  imposed, continued, modified or discontinued until the completion of the
    33  final disciplinary proceeding under subdivision three of this section or
    34  whether such summary suspension order previously issued should be lifted
    35  immediately. The notice of hearing shall also set forth:
    36    (i) the time  and  place  of  the  hearing,  which,  unless  otherwise
    37  requested or consented to by the licensee or registered entity, shall be
    38  held  in  the  regional office of the department in closest proximity to
    39  the events alleged in the statement of charges provided,  however,  that
    40  where  it  is not possible to conduct such hearing in such office within
    41  the timeframe required by this subdivision, then:  (A) such hearing  may
    42  be  conducted  in a regional office in close proximity to such events to
    43  the greatest extent practicable; or (B)  one  or  more  members  of  the
    44  public  health and safety review committee panel who are unable to phys-
    45  ically appear at the location in closest  proximity  in  the  timeframes
    46  required  may participate in such hearing via videoconference technology
    47  with the consent of all parties;
    48    (ii) that the  licensee  or  registered  entity  may  file  a  written
    49  response  to the statement of charges and accompanying evidence prior to
    50  the hearing and in response to any recommendation  made  by  the  public
    51  health and safety discipline review committee;
    52    (iii)  that the licensee or registered entity may appear personally at
    53  the hearing and may be represented by counsel;
    54    (iv) that the licensee or registered entity shall have  the  right  to
    55  produce  witnesses  and  evidence on his or her behalf, to cross-examine
    56  witnesses and examine evidence produced against the licensee  or  regis-

        A. 5495                             6

     1  tered  entity,  and to issue subpoenas in accordance with the provisions
     2  of the civil practice law and rules;
     3    (v) that a stenographic record of the hearing will be made and be made
     4  promptly  available to the licensee or registered entity without charge;
     5  and
     6    (vi) such other information as may be considered  appropriate  by  the
     7  department.
     8    (4)  The  evidence  in support of the charges shall be presented by an
     9  attorney for the department.  The licensee or  registered  entity  shall
    10  have  the  rights  required  to  be stated in the notice of hearing. The
    11  public health and safety review committee shall  not  be  bound  by  the
    12  rules  of evidence.  The hearing shall be completed within sixty days of
    13  the date of service of the notice  of  hearing  and  summary  suspension
    14  order,  if  any.    The  committee shall establish a hearing schedule to
    15  ensure that this expedited hearing  is  completed  within  the  required
    16  timeframes.  The  public  health and safety committee, upon request, may
    17  grant a limited and time specific adjournment  to  the  department  that
    18  would  extend  the hearing beyond the sixty days if the committee deter-
    19  mines that the delay is attributable to  a  circumstance  or  occurrence
    20  substantially  beyond  the  control  of  the department and an injustice
    21  would result if the adjournment were not granted. The licensee or regis-
    22  tered entity may request an adjournment at any time; such requests  that
    23  are  reasonable  shall  be  granted.  A hearing which has been initiated
    24  shall not be discontinued because of the death or incapacity to serve of
    25  one member of the committee. The  public  health  and  safety  committee
    26  shall  review the evidence and the hearing record and determine, whether
    27  the department has shown, by a preponderance of the evidence, a  summary
    28  suspension  order  should  be imposed, continued or modified because the
    29  public health, safety or welfare imperatively requires emergency  action
    30  against  the  professional license, certificate, registration, permit or
    31  other authorization of the licensee or  registered  entity  to  practice
    32  under this title.
    33    d.  Results  of  hearing. The public health and safety committee shall
    34  have fifteen days from the completion of the hearing to issue a  written
    35  recommendation  as to whether a summary suspension order concerning such
    36  licensee or registered entity shall be imposed,  continued  or  modified
    37  until  completion of the final disciplinary proceeding under subdivision
    38  three of this section or  whether  any  such  summary  suspension  order
    39  previously  imposed  shall  be  lifted immediately. Such committee shall
    40  promptly forward such recommendation to the board of regents. A copy  of
    41  such  recommendation  shall  promptly  be  forwarded  to the licensee or
    42  registered entity, as the case may be, providing notice of the  date  on
    43  which such recommendation will be considered by the board of regents.
    44    e.  At  its next regularly scheduled meeting, or at a special meeting,
    45  the board of regents shall consider the  recommendation  of  the  public
    46  health  and safety committee and the record before the public health and
    47  safety discipline committee, as well as any response from  the  licensee
    48  or  registered  entity,  and  make a final determination as to whether a
    49  summary suspension order shall be imposed, continued or  modified  until
    50  completion  of  a  final disciplinary proceeding can be held pursuant to
    51  subdivision three of this section  or  whether  any  summary  suspension
    52  order previously imposed shall be lifted immediately.
    53    § 6. Subdivision 5 of section 6510 of the education law, as amended by
    54  chapter 866 of the laws of 1980, is amended to read as follows:
    55    5.  Court  review procedures.  [The] A summary suspension order issued
    56  by the commissioner or deputy commissioner for the professions  pursuant

        A. 5495                             7

     1  to  subdivision  ten  of  this section and the decisions of the board of
     2  regents may be reviewed pursuant to the proceedings under article seven-
     3  ty-eight of the civil practice law and rules. Such proceedings shall  be
     4  returnable  before  the appellate division of the third judicial depart-
     5  ment, and such decisions shall not be stayed  or  enjoined  except  upon
     6  application  to  such  appellate division after notice to the department
     7  and to the attorney general and upon a showing that the petitioner has a
     8  substantial likelihood of success.
     9    § 7. Section 440.55 of the criminal procedure law, as added by chapter
    10  134 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows:
    11  § 440.55 Notice to education department where  a  licensed  professional
    12                has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor.
    13    The  district  attorney shall give written notification to the depart-
    14  ment of education upon the conviction of a felony or misdemeanor of  any
    15  person  holding  a license pursuant to title eight of the education law.
    16  In addition, the district attorney shall give  written  notification  to
    17  the department upon the vacatur or reversal of any felony or misdemeanor
    18  conviction of any such person.
    19    § 8. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    20  it shall have become a law.
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