STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1968--A 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 17, 2023 ___________ Introduced by Sens. SEPULVEDA, BORRELLO -- read twice and ordered print- ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health -- recommitted to the Committee on Health in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee AN ACT to amend the public health law and the education law, in relation to authorizing emergency medical service personnel to provide basic first aid to cats and dogs under certain circumstances The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 3013 of the public health law is amended by adding 2 three new subdivisions 7, 8 and 9 to read as follows: 3 7. No certified first responder, emergency medical technician, or 4 advanced emergency medical technician acting in accordance with section 5 three thousand nineteen of this article, nor any ambulance service or 6 advanced life support first response service of which such person is a 7 member or employee, who, in the course of responding to an emergency, 8 renders basic first aid to a dog or cat pursuant to such section, shall 9 have any civil liability or have any liability for violating article one 10 hundred thirty-five of the education law, for the provision of such 11 care, or any damages to or death of any dog or cat alleged to have 12 occurred by reason of an act or omission where such person acted reason- 13 ably and in good faith in rendering such medical assistance in an emer- 14 gency. 15 8. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any licensed 16 veterinarian who provides off-site instruction, pursuant to section 17 three thousand nineteen of this article, to any certified first respon- 18 der, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency medical techni- 19 cian providing basic first aid to a dog or cat shall not be liable for 20 damages for injuries or death alleged to have been sustained by any dog EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD05324-03-4S. 1968--A 2 1 or cat as a result of such instruction where such veterinarian acted 2 reasonably and in good faith in providing such instruction. 3 9. The commissioner of education shall promulgate rules and regu- 4 lations for the provision of basic first aid to dogs and cats by emer- 5 gency medical care personnel pursuant to this section. 6 § 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 3019 to 7 read as follows: 8 § 3019. Basic first aid to dogs and cats. 1. In the course of respond- 9 ing to any emergency, a certified first responder, emergency medical 10 technician or advanced emergency medical technician may, in accordance 11 with the rules and regulations of the commissioner of education, provide 12 basic first aid to a dog or cat prior to the transfer of such animal to 13 the care of a licensed veterinarian, provided however, that there are no 14 persons requiring medical attention or transportation at such time. The 15 basic first aid provided to cats and dogs pursuant to this section shall 16 be limited to the following, if the certified first responder, emergency 17 medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician is able and 18 authorized to provide such care to a human: 19 (a) opening and manually maintaining an airway; 20 (b) providing mouth to mouth or mouth to barrier ventilation; 21 (c) administering oxygen; 22 (d) managing ventilation by mask; 23 (e) controlling hemorrhage with direct pressure; 24 (f) immobilizing fractures; 25 (g) bandaging; and 26 (h) administering naloxone hydrochloride to the extent authorized by 27 law, rule or regulation and as directed by a licensed veterinarian. 28 2. To the extent practicable, each certified first responder, emergen- 29 cy medical technician or advanced emergency medical technician, during 30 the course of providing basic first aid to a dog or cat pursuant to this 31 section, shall communicate with a licensed veterinarian for the purpose 32 of consulting upon the provision of such care. 33 3. The commissioner of education shall promulgate such rules and regu- 34 lations as shall be necessary to implement the provisions of this 35 section. 36 § 3. Section 6702 of the education law is amended by adding a new 37 subdivision 3 to read as follows: 38 3. Licensed veterinarians may provide instruction to any certified 39 first responder, emergency medical technician or advanced emergency 40 medical technician providing basic first aid to a dog or cat pursuant to 41 section three thousand nineteen of the public health law. 42 § 4. The opening paragraph of section 6703 of the education law is 43 designated subdivision 1 and a new subdivision 2 is added to read as 44 follows: 45 2. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations for the 46 provision of basic first aid to dogs and cats by emergency medical care 47 personnel pursuant to section three thousand nineteen of the public 48 health law. 49 § 5. Section 6705 of the education law is amended by adding a new 50 subdivision 16 to read as follows: 51 16. A certified first responder, emergency medical technician or 52 advanced emergency medical technician providing basic first aid to the 53 extent authorized by section three thousand nineteen of the public 54 health law. 55 § 6. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a 56 law.