Florida Senate - 2026                                    SB 1708
       
       
        
       By Senator Gaetz
       
       
       
       
       
       1-00917-26                                            20261708__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to veterinary licensure; amending s.
    3         474.217, F.S.; deleting the requirement for an
    4         applicant for licensure by endorsement to have held a
    5         valid active license to practice veterinary medicine
    6         in another state, the District of Columbia, or a
    7         territory of the United States for a specified amount
    8         of time; requiring applicants to hold a valid, active
    9         license in good standing to practice veterinary
   10         medicine in another state, the District of Columbia,
   11         or a territory of the United States; reenacting s.
   12         474.2125(1), F.S., related to temporary license to
   13         provide veterinary services, to incorporate the
   14         amendment made to s. 474.217, F.S., in a reference
   15         thereto; providing an effective date.
   16          
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18  
   19         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 474.217, Florida
   20  Statutes, is amended to read:
   21         474.217 Licensure by endorsement.—
   22         (1) The department shall issue a license by endorsement to
   23  any applicant who, upon applying to the department and remitting
   24  a fee set by the board, demonstrates to the board that she or
   25  he:
   26         (a) Has demonstrated, in a manner designated by rule of the
   27  board, knowledge of the laws and rules governing the practice of
   28  veterinary medicine in this state; and
   29         (b)1. Holds, and has held for the 3 years immediately
   30  preceding the application for licensure, a valid, active license
   31  in good standing to practice veterinary medicine in another
   32  state of the United States, the District of Columbia, or a
   33  territory of the United States, provided that the applicant has
   34  successfully completed a state, regional, national, or other
   35  examination that is equivalent to or more stringent than the
   36  examination required by the board; or
   37         2. Meets the qualifications of s. 474.207(2)(b) and has
   38  successfully completed a state, regional, national, or other
   39  examination which is equivalent to or more stringent than the
   40  examination given by the department and has passed the board’s
   41  clinical competency examination or another clinical competency
   42  examination specified by rule of the board.
   43         Section 2. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
   44  made by this act to section 474.217, Florida Statutes, in a
   45  reference thereto, subsection (1) of section 474.2125, Florida
   46  Statutes, is reenacted to read:
   47         474.2125 Temporary license.—
   48         (1) The board shall adopt rules providing for the issuance
   49  of a temporary license to a licensed veterinarian of another
   50  state for the purpose of enabling her or him to provide
   51  veterinary medical services in this state for the animals of a
   52  specific owner or, as may be needed in an emergency as defined
   53  in s. 252.34(4), for the animals of multiple owners, provided
   54  the applicant would qualify for licensure by endorsement under
   55  s. 474.217. No temporary license shall be valid for more than 30
   56  days after its issuance, and no license shall cover more than
   57  the treatment of the animals of one owner except in an emergency
   58  as defined in s. 252.34(4). After the expiration of 30 days, a
   59  new license is required.
   60         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.