Bill Text: NY S08837 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Authorizes emergency medical care personnel to provide basic first aid to dogs and cats.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-07-21 - REFERRED TO RULES [S08837 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-S08837-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8837 IN SENATE July 21, 2020 ___________ Introduced by Sen. SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules AN ACT to amend the public health law and the education law, in relation to authorizing emergency medical service personnel to provide basic first aid to cats and dogs under certain circumstances The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 3013 of the public health law is amended by adding 2 three new subdivisions 7, 8 and 9 to read as follows: 3 7. No certified first responder, emergency medical technician, or 4 advanced emergency medical technician acting in accordance with section 5 three thousand eighteen of this article, nor any ambulance service or 6 advanced life support first response service of which such person is a 7 member or employee, who, in the course of responding to an emergency, 8 renders basic first aid to a dog or cat pursuant to such section, shall 9 have any civil liability or have any liability for violating article one 10 hundred thirty-five of the education law, for the provision of such 11 care, or any damages to or death of any dog or cat alleged to have 12 occurred by reason of an act or omission where such person acted reason- 13 ably and in good faith in rendering such medical assistance in an emer- 14 gency. 15 8. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any licensed 16 veterinarian who provides off-site instruction, pursuant to section 17 three thousand eighteen of this article, to any certified first respon- 18 der, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical techni- 19 cian providing basic first aid to a dog or cat shall not be liable for 20 damages for injuries or death alleged to have been sustained by any dog 21 or cat as a result of such instruction where such veterinarian acted 22 reasonably and in good faith in providing such instruction. 23 9. The commissioner of education shall promulgate rules and regu- 24 lations for the provision of basic first aid to dogs and cats by emer- 25 gency medical care personnel pursuant to this section. 26 § 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 3018 to 27 read as follows: EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD11577-04-0S. 8837 2 1 § 3018. Basic first aid to dogs and cats. 1. In the course of respond- 2 ing to any emergency, a certified first responder, emergency medical 3 technician or advanced emergency medical technician may, in accordance 4 with the rules and regulations of the commissioner of education, provide 5 basic first aid to a dog or cat prior to the transfer of such animal to 6 the care of a licensed veterinarian, provided however, that there are no 7 persons requiring medical attention or transportation at such time. The 8 basic first aid provided to cats and dogs pursuant to this section shall 9 be limited to the following, if the certified first responder, emergency 10 medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician is able and 11 authorized to provide such care to a human: 12 (a) opening and manually maintaining an airway; 13 (b) providing mouth to mouth or mouth to barrier ventilation; 14 (c) administering oxygen; 15 (d) managing ventilation by mask; 16 (e) controlling hemorrhage with direct pressure; 17 (f) immobilizing fractures; 18 (g) bandaging; and 19 (h) administering naloxone hydrochloride to the extent authorized by 20 law, rule or regulation and as directed by a licensed veterinarian. 21 2. To the extent practicable, each certified first responder, emergen- 22 cy medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician, during 23 the course of providing basic first aid to a dog or cat pursuant to this 24 section, shall communicate with a licensed veterinarian for the purpose 25 of consulting upon the provision of such care. 26 3. The commissioner of education shall promulgate such rules and regu- 27 lations as shall be necessary to implement the provisions of this 28 section. 29 § 3. Section 6702 of the education law is amended by adding a new 30 subdivision 3 to read as follows: 31 3. Licensed veterinarians may provide instruction to any certified 32 first responder, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency 33 medical technician providing basic first aid to a dog or cat pursuant to 34 section three thousand eighteen of the public health law. 35 § 4. The opening paragraph of section 6703 of the education law is 36 designated subdivision 1 and a new subdivision 2 is added to read as 37 follows: 38 2. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations for the 39 provision of basic first aid to dogs and cats by emergency medical care 40 personnel pursuant to section three thousand eighteen of the public 41 health law. 42 § 5. Section 6705 of the education law is amended by adding a new 43 subdivision 16 to read as follows: 44 16. A certified first responder, emergency medical technician or 45 advanced emergency medical technician providing basic first aid to the 46 extent authorized by section three thousand eighteen of the public 47 health law. 48 § 6. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a 49 law.
