Providing for veterinary medicine, including the care of animals under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions

DEFINITIONS. The bill amends the term “animal” to expressly include livestock. The bill rewrites the definition of “practice of veterinary medicine” to include complementary, alternative, or integrative therapies such as acupuncture, acutherapy, acupressure, or manipulation. The practice of veterinary medicine does not include performing animal massage. It also does not include providing authorized veterinary medical services to an animal patient by veterinary auxiliary personnel when performing a delegated task under the supervision of a supervising veterinarian as provided in the bill. SUPERVISION BY LICENSED VETERINARIAN —— VETERINARY AUXILIARY PERSONNEL. The bill provides that a licensed veterinarian may act as a supervising veterinarian directing certain individuals in performing delegated tasks under different levels of supervision. Such an individual is classified as a veterinary auxiliary personnel and includes (1) a registered veterinary technician who has graduated from an accredited or approved veterinary technology program, received a passing score on a national veterinarian technician examination, and is issued a certificate of registration by the board; (2) a veterinary technician student attending an accredited or approved technology program; (3) a veterinary assistant subject to qualifications established by the board; (4) a veterinary student attending an accredited or approved college of veterinary medicine; and (5) a graduate of a foreign college of veterinary medicine. The bill provides procedures to become certified as a registered veterinary technician, including application requirements and the payment of an application fee established by the board. The bill authorizes the board to waive qualification requirements under certain conditions. It provides that a registration recognized prior to July 1, 2024, remains in effect. It also provides that a person who falsely uses a credential of a registered veterinary technician commits a simple misdemeanor. The levels of supervision allowing a supervising veterinarian to delegate tasks to veterinary auxiliary personnel include: (1) direct supervision in which the supervising veterinarian is on the premises where the animal patient is being cared for, (2) immediate supervision in which a supervising veterinarian is in the immediate area of the animal patient, and (3) indirect supervision in which a supervising veterinarian has given protocols or instructions to the veterinary auxiliary personnel and is available by telephone or other means of immediate communication. SUPERVISION BY LICENSED VETERINARIAN —— DUTY. The board is required to adopt rules providing for when a licensed veterinarian must exercise direct supervision, immediate supervision, or indirect supervision for each category of auxiliary veterinary personnel providing authorized veterinary medical services to an animal patient. The supervising veterinarian may provide more supervision than required by the board. Auxiliary personnel cannot be delegated a task relating to making a diagnosis, issuing a prescription, or performing surgery. A registered veterinary technician may in certain circumstances perform equine floating teeth services but cannot provide gingival resection. Veterinary auxiliary personnel may be employed by a person if a supervising veterinarian practices at the same place of business. UNAUTHORIZED PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. The bill amends provisions describing a fraudulent practice by providing that a person who practices veterinary medicine without a valid license or valid permit issued by the board commits a fraudulent practice. ADMINISTRATIVE RULES. The bill requires the board to begin the process of adopting rules required to implement the bill’s provisions by January 1, 2024. These provisions take effect upon enactment. PENALTIES. A simple misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than days and a fine of at least $105 but not more than $855. The penalties for fraudulent practice range from a simple misdemeanor to a class “C” felony depending upon the amount of money or value of the property involved. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least $430 but not more than $2,560. An aggravated misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than two years and a fine of at least $855 but not more than $8,540. A class “D” felony is punishable by confinement for no more than five years and a fine of at least $1,025 but not more than $10,245.14). EFFECTIVE DATE. Other than the provision requiring the adoption of rules by the board, the bill takes effect July 1, 2024.