Requires that consumer representatives be appointed to state boards for the professions

BILL NUMBER:S3025

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring consumer representatives to be appointed to state boards for the professions

Purpose

This bill is designed to provide greater public accountability and consumer protection within New York's 47 licensed professions.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 of the bill amends § 6508 of the Education Law to provide for three consumer representatives on each professional board to be appointed by the Governor, the Temporary President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the Assembly.

Sections 2-10 make conforming changes for those professions that had public members codified within their respective boards.

Section 11 provides an effective date of 180 days.

Justification

Presently, the professional boards contained within Title VIII of the Education Law have either one, two, or three "public members". This bill will require uniform standards by requiring three consumer representatives for each professional board. It is vitally important that the consumers of professional services be adequately represented and their unique perspective be considered on the professional boards.

Currently, the professional boards for the licensed professions are entirely appointed by the NYS Board of Regents, also an appointed board, resulting in a appointed bureaucracy appointing another bureaucratic level of government that is in return responsible for the protection of New York's residents. The protection of New York's residents is far too important for New York's elected representatives to be entirely removed from the regulatory and governing process. Recent high profile and public examples of professional malfeasance within the licensed professions have demonstrated the need for government to have a watchful eye on the licensed professions in order to protect the consuming public. This legislation with authorize the Governor, the Temporary President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the Assembly to appoint the three consumer representatives to the professional boards while preserving the NYS Board of Regents authority to appoint the professional members.

Legislative history

2011-12 S.4883; 2009-10 S.1775; 2007-08, S.3901; 2003-04, S.6952; 2005-2006, S.2600.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.