Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 334
       
       
        
       By Senator Burgess
       
       
       
       
       
       23-00428A-24                                           2024334__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to rabies vaccinations; amending s.
    3         828.30, F.S.; authorizing certain persons to
    4         administer rabies vaccinations to certain animals
    5         under the indirect supervision of a veterinarian;
    6         providing that a supervising veterinarian assumes
    7         responsibility for any person working under the
    8         veterinarian’s supervision or at his or her direction;
    9         defining the term “indirect supervision”; authorizing
   10         a veterinarian who indirectly supervises the
   11         administration of the rabies vaccination to affix or
   12         have affixed his or her signature stamp in lieu of an
   13         actual signature on the rabies vaccination
   14         certificate; amending ss. 474.203, 767.16, and 828.29,
   15         F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the
   16         act; providing an effective date.
   17          
   18  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   19  
   20         Section 1. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 828.30,
   21  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   22         828.30 Rabies vaccination of dogs, cats, and ferrets.—
   23         (1)(a) All dogs, cats, and ferrets 4 months of age or older
   24  must be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian, or a person
   25  authorized under paragraph (b), against rabies with a vaccine
   26  that is licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture
   27  for use in those species.
   28         (b)1.When acting under the indirect supervision of a
   29  veterinarian, an employee, an agent, or a contractor of a county
   30  or municipal animal control authority or sheriff may vaccinate
   31  against rabies a dog, cat, or ferret in the custody of an animal
   32  control authority, sheriff, or shelter and that will be
   33  transferred, rescued, fostered, adopted, or reclaimed by its
   34  owner.
   35         2.The supervising veterinarian assumes responsibility for
   36  any person vaccinating animals at the veterinarian’s direction
   37  or under his or her supervision. As used in this paragraph, the
   38  term “indirect supervision” means that the supervising
   39  veterinarian is required to be available for consultation
   40  through telecommunications, rather than be physically present
   41  during the consultation.
   42         (c) The owner of every dog, cat, and ferret shall have the
   43  animal revaccinated 12 months after the initial vaccination.
   44  Thereafter, the interval between vaccinations must shall conform
   45  to the vaccine manufacturer’s directions. The cost of
   46  vaccination must be borne by the animal’s owner. Evidence of
   47  circulating rabies virus neutralizing antibodies may shall not
   48  be used as a substitute for current vaccination in managing
   49  rabies exposure or determining the need for booster
   50  vaccinations.
   51         (3) Upon vaccination against rabies, the licensed
   52  veterinarian shall provide the animal’s owner and the animal
   53  control authority with a rabies vaccination certificate. Each
   54  animal control authority and veterinarian shall use the “Rabies
   55  Vaccination Certificate” of the National Association of State
   56  Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) or an equivalent form
   57  approved by the local government which that contains all the
   58  information required by the NASPHV Rabies Vaccination
   59  Certificate. The veterinarian who administers the rabies
   60  vaccination, or who supervises the administration of the rabies
   61  vaccination as provided in paragraph (1)(b), vaccine to an
   62  animal as authorized required under this section may affix or
   63  have affixed his or her signature stamp in lieu of an actual
   64  signature.
   65         Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section
   66  474.203, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   67         474.203 Exemptions.—This chapter does not apply to:
   68         (5)(a) Any person, or the person’s regular employee,
   69  administering to the ills or injuries of her or his own animals,
   70  including, but not limited to, castration, spaying, and
   71  dehorning of herd animals, unless title is transferred or
   72  employment provided for the purpose of circumventing this law.
   73  This exemption does not apply to any person licensed as a
   74  veterinarian in another state or foreign jurisdiction and
   75  practicing temporarily in this state. However, except as
   76  provided in s. 828.30, only a veterinarian may immunize or treat
   77  an animal for diseases that are communicable to humans and that
   78  are of public health significance.
   79  
   80  For the purposes of chapters 465 and 893, persons exempt
   81  pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2), or subsection (4)
   82  are deemed to be duly licensed practitioners authorized by the
   83  laws of this state to prescribe drugs or medicinal supplies.
   84         Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 767.16, Florida
   85  Statutes, is amended to read:
   86         767.16 Police canine or service dog; exemption.—
   87         (2) Any dog used as a service dog for blind, hearing
   88  impaired, or disabled persons that bites another animal or a
   89  human is exempt from any quarantine requirement following such
   90  bite if the dog has a current rabies vaccination that was
   91  administered as provided in s. 828.30 by a licensed
   92  veterinarian.
   93         Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and paragraph
   94  (b) of subsection (2) of section 828.29, Florida Statutes, are
   95  amended to read:
   96         828.29 Dogs and cats transported or offered for sale;
   97  health requirements; consumer guarantee.—
   98         (1)
   99         (b) For each dog offered for sale within the state, the
  100  tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics required by this section must
  101  be administered by or under the direction of a veterinarian,
  102  licensed by the state and accredited by the United States
  103  Department of Agriculture, who issues the official certificate
  104  of veterinary inspection. The tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics
  105  must be administered before the dog is offered for sale in the
  106  state, unless the licensed, accredited veterinarian certifies on
  107  the official certificate of veterinary inspection that to
  108  inoculate or deworm the dog is not in the best medical interest
  109  of the dog, in which case the vaccine or anthelmintic may not be
  110  administered to that particular dog. Each dog must receive
  111  vaccines and anthelmintics against the following diseases and
  112  internal parasites:
  113         1. Canine distemper.
  114         2. Leptospirosis.
  115         3. Bordetella (by intranasal inoculation or by an
  116  alternative method of administration if deemed necessary by the
  117  attending veterinarian and noted on the health certificate,
  118  which must be administered in this state once before sale).
  119         4. Parainfluenza.
  120         5. Hepatitis.
  121         6. Canine parvo.
  122         7. Rabies, provided the dog is over 3 months of age and the
  123  inoculation is administered as provided in s. 828.30 by a
  124  licensed veterinarian.
  125         8. Roundworms.
  126         9. Hookworms.
  127  
  128  If the dog is under 4 months of age, the tests, vaccines, and
  129  anthelmintics required by this section must be administered no
  130  more than 21 days before sale within the state. If the dog is 4
  131  months of age or older, the tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics
  132  required by this section must be administered at or after 3
  133  months of age, but no more than 1 year before sale within the
  134  state.
  135         (2)
  136         (b) For each cat offered for sale within the state, the
  137  tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics required by this section must
  138  be administered by or under the direction of a veterinarian,
  139  licensed by the state and accredited by the United States
  140  Department of Agriculture, who issues the official certificate
  141  of veterinary inspection. The tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics
  142  must be administered before the cat is offered for sale in the
  143  state, unless the licensed, accredited veterinarian certifies on
  144  the official certificate of veterinary inspection that to
  145  inoculate or deworm the cat is not in the best medical interest
  146  of the cat, in which case the vaccine or anthelmintic may not be
  147  administered to that particular cat. Each cat must receive
  148  vaccines and anthelmintics against the following diseases and
  149  internal parasites:
  150         1. Panleukopenia.
  151         2. Feline viral rhinotracheitis.
  152         3. Calici virus.
  153         4. Rabies, if the cat is over 3 months of age and the
  154  inoculation is administered as provided in s. 828.30 by a
  155  licensed veterinarian.
  156         5. Hookworms.
  157         6. Roundworms.
  158  
  159  If the cat is under 4 months of age, the tests, vaccines, and
  160  anthelmintics required by this section must be administered no
  161  more than 21 days before sale within the state. If the cat is 4
  162  months of age or older, the tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics
  163  required by this section must be administered at or after 3
  164  months of age, but no more than 1 year before sale within the
  165  state.
  166         Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.