New York Senate Bill S10291

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/11/26
• Refer: 5/11/26

Caption

Authorizes licensed occupational therapists who are members of the faculty of a college or university with an accredited occupational therapy program to create a university faculty practice corporation for occupational therapy students to receive clinical instruction.

Summary

This bill amends New York’s Not-for-Profit Corporation Law to add occupational therapy to the list of professions that may organize a “university faculty practice corporation.” Under the bill, licensed occupational therapists who are faculty members at a New York college or university with an accredited occupational therapy program could form such a corporation to support the school’s educational mission by providing clinical instruction and supervision for students, interns, and residents, while also rendering professional services incident to that mission. The bill also updates the incorporation and governance provisions for these entities so that occupational therapy programs are treated the same way as existing medical, dental, chiropractic, physical therapy, and optometry programs. It requires the corporation to comply with federal 501(c)(3) nonprofit requirements and the applicable faculty practice plan, and it limits membership, directorship, and officership to individuals who are both legally authorized to practice occupational therapy in New York and faculty members of the relevant program.

Impact

The bill would change state law by expressly authorizing occupational therapy faculty practice corporations under section 1412 of the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law. It would extend to occupational therapy the same legal framework already available to certain other health professions, affecting how university-based occupational therapy faculty can structure clinical teaching and practice operations. The measure would primarily affect colleges and universities with accredited occupational therapy programs, licensed occupational therapists on those faculties, and the students who receive supervised clinical training through these entities.

Sentiment

There is no recorded committee debate or vote history in the materials provided, so the bill’s sentiment cannot be measured from formal discussion. Based on the text and caption, the measure appears technical and supportive of professional education, with an apparent goal of aligning occupational therapy with existing faculty practice corporation authority for other disciplines. The absence of opposition or amendments in the available record suggests the proposal is not yet publicly contentious in the provided materials.

Contention

The main policy issue is whether occupational therapy should be added to the professions eligible to form university faculty practice corporations, and whether the same nonprofit and faculty-membership restrictions should apply. Any concern would likely center on the scope of clinical practice, corporate governance, and ensuring that these entities remain tied to educational missions rather than commercial practice. No specific opponents, supporters, or disputed provisions are identified in the available transcripts or vote record.