What's happening
This bill expands the areas in which restricted clinical laboratory licensees may work to include immunohematology and microbiology.
Why it matters
Expanding the scope of practice for restricted clinical laboratory licensees. by allowing work in immunohematology and microbiology, the bill could help address staffing shortages or bottlenecks in critical lab areas, especially in hospitals and blood banks.
Potentially increases access to essential diagnostic services. with more personnel authorized to perform complex tests in immunohematology (like blood typing and crossmatching) and microbiology (like infection detection), patient care could become faster and more efficient.
May impact training requirements and regulatory oversight. the new provisions could require updates to educational programs, licensing exams, and state regulations to ensure quality and competency in these newly included disciplines.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Expand Lab License Scope
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- 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.
Expand Lab License Scope
In Assembly Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Richard Gottfried
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7142
IN SENATE
January 8, 2020
Introduced by Sen. RIVERA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to restricted clinical laboratory licenses
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 8610 of the education law, as amended by chapter 227 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
(a) The department may issue a restricted license pursuant to which the restricted licensee may receive a certificate to perform certain examinations and procedures within the definition of clinical laboratory technology set forth in subdivision one of section eighty-six hundred one of this article, provided that such a restricted licensee may perform examinations and procedures only in those of the following areas which are specifically listed in his or her certificate: histocompatibility, cytogenetics, stem cell process, flow cytometry/cellular immunology and molecular diagnosis to the extent such molecular diagnosis is included in genetic testing-molecular and molecular oncology, [and] toxicology [(under paragraph (b-1) of this subdivision)], immunohematology, and microbiology.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the commissioner of education shall make regulations and take other actions reasonably necessary to implement this act on that date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13918-03-0
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to restricted clinical laboratory licenses
Purpose or general idea of bill
To allow individuals who meet the requirements for a restricted license to receive a license in the areas of immunohematology and microbiology.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 of the bill amends section 8610 of the Education Law by adding immunohematology and microbiology to the list of restricted licenses.
Section 2 of the bill is the effective date.
Justification
New York State based clinical laboratories are required to employ indi- viduals holding valid licenses in clinical laboratory technology (CLT) to complete these tasks. Pursuant to the Education Law and State Depart- ment of Education regulations, in order to obtain a CLT license, an individual must complete a two-year or four-year degree in either clin- ical laboratory technology or cytotechnology and then successfully complete a comprehensive qualifying exam.
Professionals in several fields including immunohematology and microbi- ology may have advanced training and even decades of experience in these areas - including graduate degrees in chemistry, physical sciences, or other specialties - but not qualify for general CLT licensure due to a mismatch between their skills and the CLT curriculum. This causes seri- ous staffing problems in various settings.
With as much as 10% of the existing lab workforce within five years of retirement, it is critical that we enact additional appropriate pathways to licensure and practice. Personnel shortages mean delays in testing which - in hospital settings in particular - can mean delays in further medical procedures, as well as tests being done out of state.
This bill responds to shortages in immunohematology (blood banking) and microbiology by creating a restricted license category in these areas. An informal 2019 survey of just six midsized and large laboratories in these fields showed 42 openings in the immunohematology and 29 in micro- biology, with an average time to fill these specialty openings of six to 12 months - with some positions open for over three years.
This bill is similar to recent chapters creating limited licenses for certain specialties in order to ensure availability of appropriately trained lab staff, including chapter 276 of 2014 (mass spectrometry) and chapter 227 of 2019 (toxicology).
Prior legislative history
New bill
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
120 days
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.