What's happening
This bill removes restrictions on how dental society members are counted for representation in the New York State Dental Association.
Why it matters
Removes a restriction that previously counted long-standing members only in the district or county where they maintained their primary practice for purposes of representation in dental associations. this could allow members to be counted in the society where they actually participate, not just where they work.
Potentially increases representation flexibility for dentists who have maintained continuous society membership since 1977. , ensuring their membership counts toward the society of their choice, regardless of where they currently practice or live.
May impact the balance of voting power and influence in the New York State Dental Association. , as societies could see changes in their official membership numbers used for representation, possibly affecting leadership and resource allocation.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Change Dental Representation Rules
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 3
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Substituted by A5984
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1003
- Referred to higher education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Change Dental Voting Counts
Signed by Governor · Sponsor John T. McDonald III
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3516
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 24, 2017
Introduced by Sen. CROCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend chapter 987 of the laws of 1971 amending the education law and the civil practice law and rules relating to the regulation and practice of certain professions; and to continue the dental society of the state of New York, in relation to counting representation in the New York state dental association
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 6 of chapter 987 of the laws of 1971 amending the education law and the civil practice law and rules relating to the regulation and practice of certain professions; and to continue the dental society of the state of New York, as amended by chapter 683 of the laws of 1997, are amended to read as follows:
1. The existing district dental societies are continued. In any judicial district in which a district dental society is not incorporated, fifteen or more dentists of such district authorized to practice dentistry in this state may become a district dental society of such district, by publishing a call for a meeting of the dentists of the district to be held at a time and place mentioned therein within the district, in at least one newspaper in each county of the district, at least once a week for at least four weeks immediately preceding the time when such meeting is to be held, and by meeting at the time and place specified in such notice with such dentists authorized to practice dentistry in the district as may respond to such call, and by making and filing with the secretary of the state dental association a certificate, to be executed and acknowledged by the dentists so meeting, or by at least fifteen of them, which shall set forth that such meeting has been held pursuant to such notice, the corporate name of the society, which shall be the district dental society of the judicial district where located, the names and places of residence of the officers of the society for the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08063-01-7
S. 3516 2
first year, or until the first annual meeting, which officers shall be a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer, the time and place of the annual meeting of the society and the general objects and purposes of the association. Thereupon the persons executing such certificate and all other dentists in good standing and authorized to practice dentistry in such district, who shall subscribe to its bylaws, shall be a corporation by the name expressed in such certificate. Every licensed and registered dentist in the judicial district in which such a society is formed, shall be eligible to membership in the district society of the district in which he or she resides or practices dentistry, except if such dentist resides or practices dentistry in a county in which a county dental society is formed in the manner hereinafter provided, he or she shall be eligible to membership in such county society; provided, however, that after September 1, 1990 any licensed and registered dentist who is not a member of the state dental association shall be eligible for membership only in the district or county society in which he or she maintains his or her primary practice. Any member of a district or county dental society who has been a member of such district or county dental society continuously since January first, nineteen hundred seventy-seven, may maintain his or her membership in that district or county dental society notwithstanding where such member resides or practices dentistry[, provided that for purposes of counting the number of members in any district or county dental society with respect to any New York state dental association or american dental association matter relating to representation, all such members affected by this provision shall be counted only as members of the district or county dental society where they maintain their primary practice and not as members of any other district or county dental society]. The dental societies of the respective districts of the state shall have power to make all necessary bylaws not inconsistent with the laws of this state for the management of their affairs and property and the admission and expulsion of members; providing that no bylaw of any district society shall be repugnant to or inconsistent with the bylaws of the state association. Twenty members or ten percent of the total membership entitled to vote, whichever is less, shall be a quorum. Such societies may purchase and hold real and personal property for the purposes of their incorporation.
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or any other law or rule to the contrary, a county dental society may be formed if application by fifteen or more dentists of a county or fifteen or more dentists from each of contiguous counties, or fifty percent or more of the dentists in a county or from each contiguous county with fewer than thirty dentists is approved by the governing body of the New York State Dental Association. Every licensed and registered dentist who resides or practices dentistry within the geographic area in which such a county society is formed shall be eligible to membership in such society; provided, however, that after September 1, 1990, any licensed and registered dentist who is not a member of the state dental association shall be eligible for membership only in the county society in which he or she maintains his or her primary practice. Any member of a district or county dental society who has been a member of such district or county dental society continuously since January first, nineteen hundred seventy-seven, may maintain his or her membership in that district or county dental society notwithstanding where such member resides or practices dentistry[, provided that for purposes of counting the number of members in any district or county dental society with respect to any New York
S. 3516 3
state dental association or american dental association matter relating to representation, all such members affected by this provision shall be counted only as members of the district or county dental society where they maintain their primary practice and not as members of any other district or county dental society]. Such county dental societies shall have the same powers, duties and quorum requirements as district dental societies.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend chapter 987 of the laws of 1971 amending the education law and the civil practice law and rules relating to the regulation and practice of certain professions; and to continue the dental society of the state of New York, in relation to counting representation in the New York state dental association
Purpose or general idea of bill
To eliminate the requirement that members in one local component dental society be counted for representation purposes in the local component dental society where they practice.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 deletes the requirement that members in one local component dental society be counted for representation purposes in the local component dental society where they practice.
Section 2 makes the bill effective immediately upon enactment.
Justification
The New York State Dental Association is entering into a new integrated computerized membership system called Aptify that is managed by the American Dental Association. The Aptify system is incapable of tracking and categorizing members of local component dental societies for two different purposes. Aptify can only accommodate membership in the local component dental society where the dentist is actually a member. It cannot track or reflect representation for voting purposes in a different local component dental society.
All local component dental societies of the New York State Dental Association will be transitioning to the Aptify system along with the American Dental Association and the New York State Dental Association. In order to make this transition possible, the statute governing the New York State Dental Association and its local component dental societies must be amended to eliminate the requirement that voting representation be tracked differently from actual membership in a local component dental society. This change affects less than one hundred dentists and results in no change to any local component dental society representation or voting rights in either the New York State Dental Association or the American Dental Association. Therefore, the change is merely a housekeeping item that is necessary to allow implementation of the unified Aptify membership system.
Prior legislative history
None.
Fiscal implications
None to the state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately upon enactment into law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.