A 4816: Authorizes continuing education courses for hearing aid dispensers and home inspectors to be completed online.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4816 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY February 6, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. O'PHARROW -- read once and referred to the Committee on Economic Development AN ACT to amend the general business law and the real property law, in relation to authorizing certain continuing education courses to be completed online The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 794 of the general business law, 2 as amended by chapter 301 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as 3 follows: 4 1. Prior to the expiration of a certificate of registration and as a 5 condition of renewal, each hearing aid dispenser registered pursuant to 6 subdivision one of section seven hundred ninety of this article shall 7 submit documentation showing successful completion of twenty continuing 8 education credits through a course or courses approved by the secretary 9 in consultation with the advisory board, or, in relation to audiologists 10 licensed pursuant to article one hundred fifty-nine of the education 11 law, the office of the professions in the education department. Such 12 formal courses of learning shall include, but not be limited to, colle- 13 giate level of credit in non-credit courses, professional development 14 programs and technical sessions offered by national, state and local 15 professional associations and other organizations acceptable to the 16 secretary and any other organized educational and technical programs 17 acceptable to the secretary. The secretary may, in [his or her] such 18 secretary's discretion, and as needed to contribute to the health and 19 welfare of the public, require the completion of continuing education 20 courses in specific subjects to fulfill this mandatory continuing educa- 21 tion requirement. Courses shall be taken from a sponsor approved by the 22 secretary pursuant to regulations promulgated pursuant to this section. 23 Courses may be completed online, provided that such online course meets 24 the requirements of this section and is approved by the secretary. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD08809-01-5 
 A. 4816 2 1 § 2. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 of section 791 of the general 2 business law, as added by chapter 599 of the laws of 1998, is amended to 3 read as follows: 4 (b) continuing education including but not limited to (i) the content 5 of such course of study, (ii) the procedures for approval of such course 6 of study [and], (iii) those individuals and organizations who may 7 permissibly offer such continuing education course or courses provided 8 for in section seven hundred ninety-four of this article, and (iv) the 9 format of such course of study when such course is given in an online 10 setting; 11 § 3. The real property law is amended by adding a new section 444-r to 12 read as follows: 13 § 444-r. Continuing education. Continuing education courses required 14 for licensure pursuant to section four hundred forty-four-f of this 15 article may be completed online provided that such course is approved by 16 the secretary. 17 § 4. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall 18 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment 19 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation 20 of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and 21 completed on or before such effective date.