2012 New York Consolidated Laws
AGM - Agriculture & Markets
Article 5 - (72 - 96) DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS; CALVES AND VEAL; PURE BRED STOCK; CERTIFICATES OF REGISTRY.
73-B - The New York state veterinary diagnostic laboratory.

 
    §  73-b.  The  New York state veterinary diagnostic laboratory. 1. The
  commissioner is authorized to establish and  maintain,  by  contract  or
  otherwise,  a  New  York  state  veterinary diagnostic laboratory and to
  contract for other diagnostic services, as he or she may deem  necessary
  or  beneficial,  to  improve  the  health  of  food  and fiber producing
  animals, companion  animals,  sport  and  recreational  animals,  exotic
  animals and wildlife.
    2. The New York state veterinary diagnostic laboratory shall:
    (a)  evaluate  domestic  and  wild  animal populations for evidence of
  disease agents that may cause human disease;
    (b) maintain capability to respond to disease outbreaks in animals;
    (c) establish diagnostic testing capabilities to establish herd health
  status and evaluation of disease programs;
    (d) support disease surveillance and monitoring programs of  domestic,
  zoo and wild animals;
    (e)  support  veterinarians  by  analyzing  and  interpreting  samples
  obtained from clinical cases; and
    (f) evaluate, adjust and  improve  New  York's  ability  to  recognize
  diseases that impact animal populations.
    3.  "The  New  York  state  veterinary  diagnostic laboratory advisory
  board" is hereby created. Such board shall be composed of  ten  members,
  as follows:
    (a) the commissioner or his or her designee;
    (b)  the  commissioner  of  environmental  conservation  or his or her
  designee;
    (c) the commissioner of health or his or her designee;
    (d) the dean of the New York state college  of  agriculture  and  life
  sciences or his or her designee;
    (e) the director of the division of animal industry of the department;
    (f)   the  director  of  the  New  York  state  veterinary  diagnostic
  laboratory, who shall serve as a non-voting member;
    (g) one member to be appointed by the governor, upon recommendation by
  the commissioner;
    (h) one member to be appointed by the governor, upon recommendation by
  the  commissioner,  from   nominations   received   from   a   statewide
  organization representing dairy producers;
    (i) one member to be appointed by the governor, upon recommendation by
  the   commissioner,   from   nominations   received   from  a  statewide
  organization representing veterinarians licensed in this state; and
    (j) one member to be appointed by the governor, upon recommendation by
  the  commissioner,  from   nominations   received   from   a   statewide
  organization representing agricultural interests.
    4.  The  appointed  members  of  the  veterinary diagnostic laboratory
  advisory board shall be appointed for a term  of  three  years  and  may
  serve  until  their successors are chosen provided, however, that of the
  members first appointed, two shall be appointed for a term of one  year,
  one  shall  be  appointed  for  a  term  of  two  years and one shall be
  appointed for a term of three years. Members shall serve without salary,
  but shall be entitled to  actual  expenses  incurred  while  engaged  in
  performing the duties herein authorized.
    5.  The  advisory  board,  which shall be chaired by the commissioner,
  shall:
    (a) evaluate and prioritize the veterinary diagnostic laboratory needs
  of industry, government and consumer entities;
    (b) provide advice and recommendations to the dean  of  the  New  York
  state   college  of  veterinary  medicine  for  strategic  direction  of
  diagnostic laboratory services;

    (c) make recommendations to the  dean  regarding  appointment  of  the
  director of the laboratory;
    (d)  assess  the  feasibility  of  the  consolidation,  expansion  and
  modernization of the current physical facilities of the laboratory;
    (e)  provide  advice  and  recommendations  to  the  director  of  the
  diagnostic  laboratory regarding industry needs and the effectiveness of
  veterinary diagnostic laboratory services; and
    (f) provide advice and recommendations to the  commissioner,  the  New
  York  state  veterinarian, and the director of the diagnostic laboratory
  regarding animal health programs  administered  by  the  department,  to
  include but not be limited to the New York state cattle health assurance
  program and the egg quality assurance program.
    6. The director of the New York state veterinary diagnostic laboratory
  shall  be  appointed  by the dean of the college of veterinary medicine,
  after consultation with the  advisory  board.  The  dean  shall  provide
  direction  and  guidance to the director to ensure that the resources of
  the college of veterinary medicine are  integrated  with  those  of  the
  laboratory  to meet current and anticipated industry, state and consumer
  needs for diagnostic services.