S 1294: Establishes the canine officer health monitoring fund which allows for applicants to request reimbursement from the division of criminal justice services for health costs related to regular health or injury associated with canine officers.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1294 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE January 9, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sens. BORRELLO, HELMING, MATTERA, OBERACKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing the canine officer health monitoring fund The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 2 837-d-1 to read as follows: 3 § 837-d-1. Canine officer health monitoring fund. 1. As used in this 4 section, the following terms have the following meanings: 5 (a) "Canine officer" shall mean a dog that is specifically trained to 6 assist police and other law enforcement personnel. 7 (b) "Applicant" means a state agency, municipal corporation, public 8 authority, public benefit corporation, or the highest official thereof. 9 2. An applicant which is authorized to and employs canine officers may 10 apply to the commissioner for reimbursement of funds expended for all 11 health costs related to regular health or injury associated with canine 12 officers. 13 3. The commissioner shall require any applicant seeking reimbursement 14 for health costs related to regular health or injury associated with 15 canine officers to apply for any available federal funds. Any applicant 16 failing to do so shall not be entitled to reimbursement under this 17 section. The commissioner may waive such failure for good cause. The 18 commissioner shall maintain a public record of all such waivers and the 19 reasons therefor. Reimbursement may be withheld pending the determi- 20 nation of an application for federal funds. 21 4. An applicant for reimbursement pursuant to this section shall 22 report the name of each canine officer for whom reimbursement is sought. 23 The applicant shall report whether such canine officer or officers have, 24 at any time during the ten years immediately preceding the application EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD01658-01-5 
 S. 1294 2 1 for reimbursement, had any health costs for which reimbursement pursuant 2 to this section was provided, the date of any such prior reimbursement 3 and any other information that the commissioner may require for accurate 4 record-keeping and accountability. 5 5. The amount of any reimbursement authorized to be made pursuant to 6 this section shall be reduced by the amount of any federal funds granted 7 to the applicant for the purpose of health costs related to regular 8 health or injury associated with canine officers, and by the amount of 9 any other funds received directly or indirectly for that purpose by the 10 applicant. 11 6. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit an 12 applicant from expending its own funds for health costs related to regu- 13 lar health or injury associated with canine officers in amounts exceed- 14 ing the established state reimbursement limitations. 15 7. The commissioner is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations 16 to provide for the orderly effectuation of the provisions of this 17 section. 18 § 2. Section 837 of the executive law is amended by adding a new 19 subdivision 24 to read as follows: 20 24. (a) Maintain and annually update a list of claims made to the 21 division for reimbursement for health costs related to regular health or 22 injury associated with canine officers along with relevant data relating 23 to such reimbursement. Such data shall include, but not be limited to: 24 (i) the name of the canine officer; 25 (ii) the department or agency the canine officer is employed by; 26 (iii) the age of the canine; 27 (iv) the canine's years of service; 28 (v) the canine's primary job purpose; 29 (vi) the canine's secondary purpose, if applicable; 30 (vii) any injuries or regular health maintenance; 31 (viii) the county in which the canine is employed and any secondary 32 counties that the canine is located; 33 (ix) canine breed; 34 (x) whether the canine is currently retired; and 35 (xi) any other relevant data as determined appropriate by the divi- 36 sion. 37 (b) For purposes of this subdivision, "job purpose" shall mean one of 38 the following: 39 (i) narcotic detection; 40 (ii) explosives detection; 41 (iii) officer protection; 42 (iv) tracking/searches; 43 (v) cadaver; 44 (vi) therapy; or 45 (vii) other. 46 (c) Any de-identified information or data shall be made available 47 through a freedom of information request pursuant to article six of the 48 public officers law. 49 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.