Sunset Continue Regulation Of Veterinary Practice
- Continues the practice act for 11 years, until September 1, 2033 ( sections 1 and 2 of the bill);
- Requires a veterinarian to notify the board of veterinary medicine (board) if the veterinarian suffers from a physical illness or condition or a behavioral or mental health disorder that renders the veterinarian unable to practice with reasonable skill and safety ( section 6 );
- Repeals the requirement that the board send a letter of admonition by certified mail ( section 14 );
- Requires veterinarians to create a written plan for the storage, security, and disposal of patient records ( section 18 ); and
- If the board has reasonable cause to believe a veterinarian is unable to practice with reasonable skill and safety due to a physical condition, authorizes the board to order the veterinarian to submit to an examination and to suspend the veterinarian's license for failing to comply with the board's order ( section 20 ).
The bill makes other amendments to the practice act as follows:
- Authorizes a person who is not a licensed veterinarian in this state to administer rabies vaccinations in a clinic setting under direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian, or through the indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian if the person is working on behalf of an animal shelter for shelter-owned animals ( sections 9 and 22 );
- Adds two members to the board who are veterinary technicians ( section 10 );
- Requires credit hours of practice act jurisprudence as part of veterinarians' continuing education program and permits veterinarians to take nonbiomedical courses as part of the program ( section 12 );
- Repeals and reenacts the veterinary peer health assistance program
to reorganize existing provisions,to allow veterinary technicians access to the program and to require veterinary professionals, including veterinary technicians, to self-refer to the program upon arrest for a drug- or alcohol-related crime ( section 19 ); and -
Creates the veterinary professional assistance program funded through licensing fees to provide counseling, education, coaching, and other services, as requested, to veterinarians and veterinary technicians concerning issues including physical and mental health and wellness, workplace concerns, and legal and financial issues (section 19).
(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)
(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)