Section 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, from  nominations  received  from  the  animal  health
  issues committee;
    (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; and
    (d)  assess  the  feasibility  of  the  consolidation,  expansion  and
  modernization of the current physical facilities of the laboratory.
    6. A New York state animal health issues committee is hereby  created.
  Such  committee  shall  be composed of not more than fifteen members, as
  follows:
    (a) a representative of Cornell cooperative extension;
    (b) a representative of the New York state college of agriculture  and
  life sciences;
    (c) the federal veterinarian in charge of the New York area;
    (d) the director of the division of animal industry of the department;
    (e) a representative of the department of environmental conservation;
    (f) a representative of the department of health; and
    (g)  additional members appointed by the governor, upon recommendation
  by the commissioner, representing groups including, but not limited  to:
  livestock    producers,   private   veterinary   practitioners,   allied
  agricultural  industries,  companion  and  sport  organizations,  public
  health organizations and wildlife/exotic animal organizations.
    7.  The  appointed members of the animal health issues committee 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, not more than four shall be appointed for a term of one year,
  not more than three shall be appointed for a term of two years  and  not
  more  than  three  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.
    8.  The  chair  of  the  New York state animal health issues committee
  shall be elected from the committee membership.
    9. The New York state animal health  issues  committee  shall  provide
  advice  and recommendations to the director of the diagnostic laboratory
  regarding industry needs and the effectiveness of veterinary  diagnostic
  laboratory services.
    10.   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.