Florida Senate - 2026 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. SB 796
Ì497168RÎ497168
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
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The Committee on Regulated Industries (Bradley) recommended the
following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Veterinary
6 Workforce Innovation Act.”
7 Section 2. Section 474.201, Florida Statutes, is amended to
8 read:
9 474.201 Legislative findings, intent, and purpose.—
10 (1) The Legislature finds that the practice of veterinary
11 medicine is potentially dangerous to the public health and
12 safety if conducted by incompetent and unlicensed practitioners.
13 The legislative purpose in enacting this chapter is to ensure
14 that every veterinarian practicing in this state meet minimum
15 requirements for safe practice. It is the legislative intent
16 that veterinarians who are not normally competent or who
17 otherwise present a danger to the public shall be disciplined or
18 prohibited from practicing in this state.
19 (2) The Legislature finds that the practice of educated,
20 trained, and experienced veterinary professional associates will
21 increase consumer access to high-quality veterinary medical
22 services at a reasonable cost to consumers, while also
23 increasing the efficiency of the practice of veterinary medicine
24 in this state.
25 Section 3. Present subsection (14) of section 474.202,
26 Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (15), and a new
27 subsection (14) is added to that section, to read:
28 474.202 Definitions.—As used in this chapter:
29 (14) “Veterinary professional associate” means an
30 individual who has graduated with a master’s degree or the
31 equivalent in veterinary clinical care from an accredited
32 institution and who meets the requirements to be registered by
33 the department.
34 Section 4. Subsection (4) of section 474.2021, Florida
35 Statutes, is amended to read:
36 474.2021 Veterinary telehealth.—
37 (4) A veterinarian practicing veterinary telehealth:
38 (a) May not engage in the practice of veterinary telehealth
39 unless it is within the context of a veterinarian/client/patient
40 relationship;
41 (b) Shall practice in a manner consistent with his or her
42 scope of practice and the prevailing professional standard of
43 practice for a veterinarian who provides in-person veterinary
44 services to patients in this state and shall employ sound,
45 professional judgment to determine whether using veterinary
46 telehealth is an appropriate method for delivering medical
47 advice or treatment to the patient;
48 (c) May use veterinary telehealth to perform an initial
49 patient evaluation to establish the veterinarian/client/patient
50 relationship if the evaluation is conducted using synchronous,
51 audiovisual communication. The evaluation may not be performed
52 using audio-only communications, text messaging, questionnaires,
53 chatbots, or other similar means. If a veterinarian practicing
54 telehealth conducts a patient evaluation sufficient to diagnose
55 and treat the patient, the veterinarian is not required to
56 research a patient’s medical history or conduct a physical
57 examination of the patient before using veterinary telehealth to
58 provide a veterinary health care service to the patient;
59 (d) If the initial patient evaluation is performed using
60 veterinary telehealth, must provide the client with a statement
61 containing the veterinarian’s name, license number, and contact
62 information and the contact information for at least one
63 physical veterinary clinic in the vicinity of the patient’s
64 location and instructions for how to receive patient follow-up
65 care or assistance if the veterinarian and client are unable to
66 communicate because of a technological or equipment failure or
67 if there is an adverse reaction to treatment, and inform the
68 client that, if medication is prescribed, the client may obtain
69 a prescription that may be filled at the pharmacy of his or her
70 choice. The veterinarian shall obtain from the client a signed
71 and dated statement indicating the client has received the
72 required information before practicing veterinary telehealth;
73 (e) Shall prescribe all drugs and medications in accordance
74 with all federal and state laws and the following requirements:
75 1. A veterinarian practicing veterinary telehealth may
76 order, prescribe, or make available medicinal drugs or drugs
77 specifically approved for use in animals by the United States
78 Food and Drug Administration, the use of which conforms to the
79 approved labeling. Prescriptions based solely on a telehealth
80 evaluation may be issued for up to 6 months 1 month for products
81 labeled solely for flea and tick control and up to 30 14 days of
82 treatment for other animal drugs. Prescriptions based solely on
83 a telehealth evaluation may not be renewed without an in-person
84 examination.
85 2. A veterinarian practicing veterinary telehealth may not
86 order, prescribe, or make available medicinal drugs or drugs as
87 defined in s. 465.003 approved by the United States Food and
88 Drug Administration for human use or compounded antibacterial,
89 antifungal, antiviral, or antiparasitic medications, unless the
90 veterinarian has conducted an in-person physical examination of
91 the animal or made medically appropriate and timely visits to
92 the premises where the animal is kept.
93 3. A veterinarian may not use veterinary telehealth to
94 prescribe a controlled substance as defined in chapter 893
95 unless the veterinarian has conducted an in-person physical
96 examination of the animal or made medically appropriate and
97 timely visits within the past year to the premises where the
98 animal is kept.
99 4. A veterinarian practicing veterinary telehealth may not
100 prescribe a drug or other medication for use on a horse engaged
101 in racing or training at a facility under the jurisdiction of
102 the Florida Gaming Control Commission or on a horse that is a
103 covered horse as defined in the federal Horseracing Integrity
104 and Safety Act, 15 U.S.C. ss. 3051 et seq.;
105 (f) Shall be familiar with available veterinary resources,
106 including emergency resources, near the patient’s location and
107 be able to provide the client with a list of nearby
108 veterinarians who may be able to see the patient in person upon
109 the request of the client;
110 (g) Shall keep, maintain, and make available a summary of
111 the patient record as provided in s. 474.2165; and
112 (h) May not use veterinary telehealth to issue an
113 international or interstate travel certificate or a certificate
114 of veterinary inspection.
115 Section 5. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) and subsection
116 (7) of section 474.203, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
117 474.203 Exemptions.—This chapter does not apply to:
118 (5)(a) Any person, or the person’s regular employee,
119 administering to the ills or injuries of her or his own animals,
120 including, but not limited to, castration, spaying, and
121 dehorning of herd animals, unless title is transferred or
122 employment provided for the purpose of circumventing this law.
123 This exemption does not apply to any person licensed as a
124 veterinarian in another state or foreign jurisdiction and
125 practicing temporarily in this state. However, except as
126 provided in s. 474.2126 or s. 828.30, only a veterinarian may
127 immunize or treat an animal for diseases that are communicable
128 to humans and that are of public health significance.
129 (7) Any veterinary aide, nurse, laboratory technician,
130 preceptor, person registered pursuant to s. 474.2126, or other
131 employee of a licensed veterinarian who administers medication
132 or who renders auxiliary or supporting assistance under the
133 responsible supervision of a licensed veterinarian, including
134 those tasks identified by rule of the board requiring immediate
135 supervision, provided that a registered veterinary professional
136 associate is subject to s. 474.2126. However, the licensed
137 veterinarian is responsible for all such acts performed under
138 this subsection by persons under her or his supervision.
139
140 For the purposes of chapters 465 and 893, persons exempt
141 pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2), or subsection (4)
142 are deemed to be duly licensed practitioners authorized by the
143 laws of this state to prescribe drugs or medicinal supplies.
144 Section 6. Section 474.2126, Florida Statutes, is created
145 to read:
146 474.2126 Veterinary professional associates; registration.—
147 (1) REGISTRATION.—
148 (a) A veterinary professional associate may apply to the
149 department for registration by submitting a form prescribed by
150 the board. The department shall consider for registration each
151 qualified veterinary professional associate whom the department
152 verifies has submitted a completed application and meets the
153 applicable requirements of this subsection.
154 (b) The department shall issue a certificate of
155 registration to each veterinary professional associate applicant
156 whom the department verifies has graduated from the relevant
157 accredited program and received a passing score on the relevant
158 professional national competency examination approved by the
159 board.
160 (c) The department shall make a list of registrants
161 available to the public on the department’s website.
162 (d) The department may suspend the registration of any
163 veterinary professional associate whom the board determines has
164 caused serious harm to an animal due to negligence,
165 incompetence, or misconduct related to duties performed under
166 this section and in a manner inconsistent with the supervising
167 veterinarian’s specific direction, until such time as the
168 registrant has completed remedial training or education directed
169 by the board.
170 (e) The department may rescind the registration of any
171 veterinary professional associate who is convicted of animal
172 cruelty under s. 828.12 or animal fighting under s. 828.122.
173 (2) PROHIBITION.—An individual may not hold himself or
174 herself out as a registered veterinary professional associate or
175 in any other way represent himself or herself as a veterinary
176 professional associate unless he or she has a valid certificate
177 of registration from the department.
178 (3) DUTIES AND ACTIONS OF A REGISTERED VETERINARY
179 PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATE.—
180 (a) Unless otherwise prohibited by federal law, a
181 registered veterinary professional associate may engage in the
182 practice of veterinary medicine as defined in s. 474.202 or
183 veterinary medicine as defined in s. 474.202, to the extent that
184 he or she is competent and has the necessary training, current
185 knowledge, and experience to provide such care, as delegated
186 under the responsible supervision, as defined in s. 474.202, of
187 a licensed veterinarian.
188 (b) A registered veterinary professional associate may not
189 do any of the following:
190 1. Prescribe a controlled substance listed in s. 893.03,
191 except that a registered veterinary professional associate may
192 perform humane euthanasia and prepare, log, and administer
193 controlled substances for the purpose of analgesia, anesthesia,
194 or humane euthanasia, as delegated by a licensed veterinarian
195 and performed under responsible supervision.
196 2. Perform a surgical procedure, except that a veterinary
197 professional associate may perform the following surgical
198 procedures:
199 a. Orchiectomy;
200 b. Veterinary dental surgery; or
201 c. Veterinary suturing or stapling of skin lacerations,
202 gingival incisions, or existing surgical incisions.
203 Section 7. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) and subsection
204 (3) of section 828.30, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
205 828.30 Rabies vaccination of dogs, cats, and ferrets.—
206 (1)(a) All dogs, cats, and ferrets 4 months of age or older
207 must be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian or a person
208 authorized under paragraph (b) or s. 474.2126 against rabies
209 with a vaccine that is licensed by the United States Department
210 of Agriculture for use in those species.
211 (3) Upon vaccination against rabies, the licensed
212 veterinarian shall provide the animal’s owner and the animal
213 control authority with a rabies vaccination certificate. Each
214 animal control authority and veterinarian shall use the “Rabies
215 Vaccination Certificate” of the National Association of State
216 Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) or an equivalent form
217 approved by the local government that contains all the
218 information required by the NASPHV Rabies Vaccination
219 Certificate. The veterinarian who administers the rabies
220 vaccination or who supervises the administration of the rabies
221 vaccination as provided in paragraph (1)(b) or s. 474.2126 to an
222 animal as authorized under this section may affix his or her
223 signature stamp in lieu of an actual signature.
224 Section 8. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.
225 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
226 And the title is amended as follows:
227 Delete everything before the enacting clause
228 and insert:
229 A bill to be entitled
230 An act relating to veterinary medicine; providing a
231 short title; amending s. 474.201, F.S.; revising
232 legislative findings, intent, and purpose; amending s.
233 474.202, F.S.; defining the term “veterinary
234 professional associate”; amending s. 474.2021, F.S.;
235 increasing the amount of time for which prescriptions
236 based solely on a veterinary telehealth evaluation may
237 be issued for certain drugs; amending s. 474.203,
238 F.S.; revising the applicability of certain
239 exemptions; creating s. 474.2126, F.S.; providing
240 requirements for veterinary professional associates to
241 receive certificates of registration from the
242 Department of Business and Professional Regulation;
243 requiring the department to make a list of veterinary
244 professional associate registrants publicly available
245 on its website; authorizing the department to suspend
246 the registration of a veterinary professional
247 associate upon a certain determination by the Board of
248 Veterinary Medicine; authorizing the department to
249 rescind the registration of a veterinary professional
250 associate under certain circumstances; prohibiting a
251 person from holding himself or herself out as a
252 veterinary professional associate under certain
253 circumstances; authorizing a registered veterinary
254 professional associate to engage in the practice of
255 veterinary medicine under certain circumstances;
256 prohibiting a registered veterinary professional
257 associate from taking certain actions; providing
258 exceptions; amending s. 828.30, F.S.; conforming
259 provisions to changes made by the act; providing an
260 effective date.