Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama Senate Bill SB185 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	SB185INTRODUCED
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3	3	SB185
4	4	ACMWSSS-1
5	5	By Senators Price, Sessions, Williams, Chesteen, Carnley,
6	6	Singleton, Barfoot, Melson, Stewart, Livingston, Stutts, Jones
7	7	RFD: Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry
8	8	First Read: 20-Feb-25
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15	15	7 ACMWSSS-1 02/17/2025 ZAK (L)ma 2025-432
16	16	Page 1
17	17	First Read: 20-Feb-25
18	18	SYNOPSIS:
19	19	Under existing law, the Alabama State Board of
20	20	Veterinary Medical Examiners is authorized to regulate
21	21	the practice of veterinary medicine in this state.
22	22	This bill would prohibit a veterinarian from
23	23	prescribing or dispensing any medication without a
24	24	valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship.
25	25	This bill would provide that a veterinarian-
26	26	client-patient relationship created with one
27	27	veterinarian exists among all other veterinarians
28	28	practicing at the same location.
29	29	This bill would further define what
30	30	circumstances create a new veterinarian-client-patient
31	31	relationship and would define the terms "client,"
32	32	"patient," and "animal."
33	33	This bill would provide a maximum amount of time
34	34	within which a veterinarian may refill a prescription.
35	35	This bill would also make nonsubstantive,
36	36	technical revisions to update the existing code
37	37	language to current style.
38	38	A BILL
39	39	TO BE ENTITLED
40	40	AN ACT
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70	70	AN ACT
71	71	Relating to veterinary medicine and the Alabama State
72	72	Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners; to amend Section
73	73	34-29-61, Code of Alabama 1975, to define the terms
74	74	"veterinarian-client-patient relationship," "client,"
75	75	"patient," and "animal"; to prohibit veterinarians from
76	76	dispensing mediation without a veterinarian-client-patient
77	77	relationship; to provide the amount of time within which a
78	78	prescription may be refilled; to provide the
79	79	veterinarian-client-patient relationship is shared among all
80	80	veterinarians at a location; and to make nonsubstantive,
81	81	technical revisions to update the existing code language to
82	82	current style.
83	83	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
84	84	Section 1. Section 34-29-61, Code of Alabama 1975, is
85	85	amended to read as follows:
86	86	"§34-29-61
87	87	For the purposes of this article, the following terms
88	88	shall have the following meanings ascribed by this section :
89	89	(1) ACCREDITED SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. Any
90	90	veterinary college or division of a university or college that
91	91	offers the degree of doctor of veterinary medicine or its
92	92	equivalent and is accredited by the American Veterinary
93	93	Medical Association (AVMA).
94	94	(2) ANIMAL. Any animal or mammal other than man,
95	95	including birds, fish, reptiles, wild or domestic, member of
96	96	the kingdom animalia other than humans, whether living or
97	97	dead.
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127	127	dead.
128	128	(3) APPLICANT. A person who files an application to be
129	129	licensed to practice veterinary medicine or licensed as a
130	130	veterinary technician.
131	131	(4) BOARD. Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical
132	132	Examiners.
133	133	(5) CLIENT. A person who has entered into an agreement
134	134	with a veterinarian for the purposes of obtaining veterinary
135	135	medicine services in-person.
136	136	(5)(6) CONSULTING VETERINARIAN. A veterinarian licensed
137	137	in another state who gives advice or demonstrates techniques
138	138	to a licensed Alabama veterinarian or group of licensed
139	139	Alabama veterinarians. A consulting veterinarian shall may not
140	140	utilize this privilege to circumvent the law.
141	141	(6)(7) DIRECT SUPERVISION. The A supervising
142	142	veterinarian has initially examined the animal and will
143	143	examine at other times as acceptable veterinary medical
144	144	practice requires, consistent with the particular delegated
145	145	animal health care task. The supervising veterinarian is on
146	146	the premises and is quickly and easily available.
147	147	(7)(8) EMERGENCY. The An animal has been placed in a
148	148	life threatening condition and immediate treatment is
149	149	necessary to sustain life.
150	150	(8)(9) FOREIGN VETERINARY GRADUATE, EXCLUDING CANADA.
151	151	Any person, including a foreign national or an American
152	152	citizen, who has received a professional veterinarian medical
153	153	degree from an American Veterinary Medical Association listed
154	154	veterinary college that is not accredited by the American
155	155	Veterinary Medical Association.
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185	185	Veterinary Medical Association.
186	186	(9)(10) IMMEDIATE SUPERVISION. The A supervising
187	187	veterinarian is on the premises and in audible or visual range
188	188	of the animal patient and the person treating the patient.
189	189	(10)(11) INDIRECT SUPERVISION. The A supervising
190	190	veterinarian has examined the animal and has given written or
191	191	oral instructions for the treatment of the animal while the
192	192	supervising veterinarian is away from the premises.
193	193	(11)(12) LICENSE. Any permit, approval, registration,
194	194	or certificate of qualification issued by the board.
195	195	(12)(13) LICENSED VETERINARIAN. A person who is validly
196	196	and currently licensed to practice veterinary medicine in
197	197	Alabama.
198	198	(13)(14) LICENSED VETERINARY TECHNICIAN. A person who
199	199	is validly and currently licensed to practice as a veterinary
200	200	technician in Alabama.
201	201	(15) PATIENT. Any single animal or representative
202	202	segment of a consignment or herd.
203	203	(14)(16) PERSON. Any individual, firm, partnership,
204	204	association, joint venture, cooperative, or corporation or any
205	205	other group or combination acting in concert; and whether or
206	206	not acting as a principal, trustee, fiduciary, receiver, or as
207	207	any kind of legal or personal representative, or as the
208	208	successor in interest, assigning agent, factor, servant,
209	209	employee, director, officer, or any other representative of
210	210	such person.
211	211	(15)(17) PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE:
212	212	a. To diagnose, treat, correct, change, relieve, or
213	213	prevent animal disease, deformity, defect, injury, or other
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243	243	prevent animal disease, deformity, defect, injury, or other
244	244	physical or mental condition; including the prescription or
245	245	administration of any drug, medicine, biologic, apparatus,
246	246	application, anesthesia, or other therapeutic or diagnostic
247	247	substance or technique on any animal , including, but not
248	248	limited to, acupuncture, dentistry, animal psychology, animal
249	249	chiropractic, theriogenology, surgery, including cosmetic
250	250	surgery, any manual, mechanical, biological, or chemical
251	251	procedure for testing for pregnancy or for correcting
252	252	sterility or infertility, or to render service or
253	253	recommendations with regard to any of the above.
254	254	b. To represent directly or indirectly, publicly or
255	255	privately, an ability and willingness to do any act described
256	256	in paragraph a.
257	257	c. To use any title, words, abbreviations, or letters
258	258	in a manner or under circumstances which induce the belief
259	259	that the person using them is qualified to do any act
260	260	described in paragraph a. Such use shall be prima facie
261	261	evidence of the intention to represent oneself as engaged in
262	262	the practice of veterinary medicine.
263	263	d. Collects To collect blood or other samples for the
264	264	purpose of diagnosing disease or other conditions. This
265	265	paragraph shall not apply to unlicensed personnel employed by
266	266	the United States Department of Agriculture or the Alabama
267	267	Department of Agriculture who are engaged in the Brucellosis
268	268	eradication program or external parasite control program
269	269	pursuant to Section 2-15-192.
270	270	e. To remove any embryo from a food animal or companion
271	271	animal for the purpose of transplanting the embryo into
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301	301	animal for the purpose of transplanting the embryo into
302	302	another female animal or for the purpose of cryopreserving the
303	303	embryo, or to implant the embryo into a food or companion
304	304	animal. It shall not be considered the practice of veterinary
305	305	medicine for a person or his or her full-time employees to
306	306	remove an embryo from the food or companion animal of the
307	307	person for the purpose of transplanting or cryopreserving the
308	308	embryo, or to implant an embryo into the food or companion
309	309	animal of the person, provided ownership of the food or
310	310	companion animal shall not be transferred or employment of the
311	311	person shall not be changed for the purpose of circumventing
312	312	this article.
313	313	f. To provide veterinary medical services to a client
314	314	or patient in this state, through telephonic, electronic, or
315	315	other means, regardless of the location of the veterinarian,
316	316	shall constitute the practice of veterinary medicine in this
317	317	state and shall require licensure within this state and a
318	318	veterinarian-client-patient relationship must be established.
319	319	(16)(18) SUPERVISING VETERINARIAN. A veterinarian who
320	320	assumes responsibility for the professional care given to an
321	321	animal by a person working under his or her direction.
322	322	(17)(19) TEMPORARY LICENSE. Temporary permission to
323	323	practice veterinary medicine issued by the board pursuant to
324	324	this article.
325	325	(18)(20) UNLICENSED ASSISTANT. Any individual who is
326	326	not a licensed veterinary technician or veterinarian and is
327	327	employed by a licensed veterinarian.
328	328	(19)(21) VETERINARIAN-CLIENT-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP
329	329	(VCPR). A relationship in which all of the following are
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359	359	(VCPR). A relationship in which all of the following are
360	360	satisfied:
361	361	a. when the A veterinarian has assumed responsibility
362	362	for making medical judgments regarding the health of the
363	363	animal or animals a patient and the need for medical treatment
364	364	and is created by actual examination by the veterinarian of
365	365	the animal or a representative segment of a consignment or
366	366	herd the client has agreed to comply with the veterinarian's
367	367	instructions.
368	368	b. A veterinarian has physically examined a
369	369	patient within the previous 12 months or more frequently as
370	370	dictated by the age of the patient, medical condition of the
371	371	patient, treatment therapy, or use of controlled substances.
372	372	c. A veterinarian has sufficient knowledge of a patient
373	373	to initiate a general or preliminary diagnosis of its medical
374	374	condition.
375	375	d. A veterinarian is personally acquainted with the
376	376	keeping and care of a patient due to timely examination of the
377	377	patient and timely visits by the veterinarian to the facility
378	378	where the patient is managed by a veterinarian.
379	379	e. A veterinarian is readily available for ongoing or
380	380	follow-up evaluation and care of a patient or has arranged for
381	381	emergency or continuing veterinary care and treatment of a
382	382	patient by an appropriate veterinary professional.
383	383	f. A veterinarian provides oversight of treatment,
384	384	compliance, and outcome of a patient.
385	385	g. A veterinarian maintains complete and legible
386	386	medical records of a patient, including an assessment and
387	387	treatment plan, in a manner that another veterinarian may
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417	417	treatment plan, in a manner that another veterinarian may
418	418	proceed with continuity of care and treatment of the patient.
419	419	h. A veterinarian-client-patient relationship is case
420	420	specific and a new veterinarian-client-patient relationship
421	421	shall be established for each new medical problem or
422	422	diagnosis. A prescription may be refilled for 12 months after
423	423	the initial prescription unless medically prohibited or
424	424	restricted or prohibited by current law or rule. The
425	425	veterinarian-client-patient relationship remains with the
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427	427	veterinarian-client-patient relationship and remains valid
428	428	with other veterinarians within the practice premises where
429	429	the medical records of the patient are kept. Another
430	430	veterinarian in the practice where the initial
431	431	veterinarian-client-patient relationship was established may
432	432	refill an original prescription for a period of 12 months
433	433	after the initial prescription. If the original prescription
434	434	is altered in drug form, quantity, or dosage by another
435	435	veterinarian associated with the practice, a new
436	436	veterinarian-client-patient relationship shall be established.
437	437	If a patient is hospitalized when changes in diagnosis or
438	438	treatment are made, the changes shall be communicated to the
439	439	client.
440	440	i. A veterinarian is prohibited from prescribing or
441	441	dispensing medications without a valid
442	442	veterinarian-client-patient relationship.
443	443	(20)(22) VETERINARIAN, DOCTOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE,
444	444	DVM, VMD, or EQUIVALENT TITLE. A person who has received a
445	445	doctor's degree in veterinary medicine from an accredited
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475	475	doctor's degree in veterinary medicine from an accredited
476	476	school of veterinary medicine or holds an Educational
477	477	Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG)
478	478	certificate issued by the American Veterinary Medical
479	479	Association (AVMA).
480	480	(21)(23) VETERINARY FACILITIES. Any place or unit from
481	481	which the practice of veterinary medicine is conducted. The
482	482	following are types of veterinary facilities:
483	483	a. Veterinary or Animal Hospital or Clinic. Meets or
484	484	exceeds all mandatory requirements as listed in the
485	485	administrative code of the board for veterinary facilities. In
486	486	doing so, it provides quality examination, diagnostic, and
487	487	health maintenance services for medical and surgical treatment
488	488	of animals and is equipped to provide housing and nursing care
489	489	for the animals during illness or convalescence.
490	490	b. Specialty Practice or Clinic. Provides complete
491	491	specialty service by a veterinarian who has advanced training
492	492	in that specialty and is a diplomat of an approved specialty
493	493	college. It meets all minimum standards that are applicable to
494	494	that specialty.
495	495	c. Central Hospital. Shall meet all requirements of
496	496	paragraph a., as well as provide specialized care including
497	497	24-hour nursing care and specialty consultation on a permanent
498	498	or on-call basis. It is mainly utilized on referral from area
499	499	veterinary hospitals or clinics.
500	500	d. Satellite, Outpatient, or Mobile Small Animal
501	501	Clinics. A supportive facility owned by or associated with, or
502	502	both, and has ready access to, within a reasonable distance, a
503	503	full-service veterinary hospital or clinic or a central
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533	533	full-service veterinary hospital or clinic or a central
534	534	hospital providing all mandatory services and meeting all
535	535	minimum standards. The public shall be informed of the
536	536	limitation of services by way of a posted notice in plain view
537	537	and easily readable or by notice provided to the client by
538	538	flyer or card which clearly specifies those mandatory
539	539	veterinary medical services which are not provided. In
540	540	addition, the main location and telephone number of the
541	541	veterinary hospital or clinic providing the required service,
542	542	as well as the signed agreement with the veterinary hospital
543	543	or clinic shall also be posted in plain view and be easily
544	544	readable. A veterinarian associated with this veterinary
545	545	hospital or clinic shall be on call during and after operation
546	546	of the satellite, outpatient, or mobile clinic to render aid
547	547	if necessary. The personnel of satellite, outpatient, or
548	548	mobile clinics shall consist of one or more veterinarians and
549	549	auxiliary personnel necessary to provide adequate outpatient
550	550	service. Operation of any satellite, outpatient, or mobile
551	551	clinic shall be under the direct supervision of a licensed
552	552	veterinarian who remains on the premises during the entire
553	553	time of operation.
554	554	e. Large Animal Mobile Clinic. Must provide
555	555	examination, diagnostic, and preventive medicine, and minor
556	556	surgical services for large animals not requiring confinement
557	557	or hospitalization. Emergency service and radiology service
558	558	shall be provided by that veterinarian or by written agreement
559	559	with another veterinarian or group of veterinarians in
560	560	practice in that locale. These clinics shall provide a degree
561	561	of veterinary care compatible with the level of standards
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591	591	of veterinary care compatible with the level of standards
592	592	considered adequate to the practice of veterinary medicine
593	593	currently available in the area. Complete hospital facilities
594	594	may be provided by the nearest large animal hospital or
595	595	veterinary school.
596	596	f. Emergency Clinic. A facility established to receive
597	597	patients and to treat illnesses and injuries of an emergency
598	598	nature requiring treatment. The clinic shall provide
599	599	professional diagnostic and emergency treatment during hours
600	600	when local veterinary hospitals are normally closed. Emergency
601	601	clinics shall meet all mandatory requirements of a veterinary
602	602	hospital or clinic.
603	603	(22)(24) VETERINARY INTERN. A person who is working
604	604	towards completion of an ECFVG certificate and who is working
605	605	under the direct or indirect supervision of a board approved
606	606	licensed veterinarian in any state to complete the practical
607	607	experience internship required for licensing in Alabama.
608	608	(23)(25) VETERINARY MEDICINE. Includes veterinary
609	609	surgery, theriogenology, dentistry, acupuncture, animal
610	610	psychology, chiropractic, and all other branches or
611	611	specialties of veterinary practice.
612	612	(24)(26) VETERINARY STUDENT PRECEPTEE. A person who is
613	613	pursuing a veterinary degree in an accredited school of
614	614	veterinary medicine which has a preceptor or extern program
615	615	and who has completed the academic requirements of the
616	616	program.
617	617	(25)(27) VETERINARY TECHNICIAN STUDENT. Any person
618	618	enrolled in an AVMA accredited veterinary technology program;
619	619	gaining clinical experience under the supervision of a
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649	649	gaining clinical experience under the supervision of a
650	650	licensed veterinarian or licensed veterinary technician in a
651	651	clinical setting.
652	652	(26)(28) VETERINARY TECHNOLOGY. The skills and
653	653	knowledge accrued in a post-high school course of study,
654	654	accredited by the AVMA Committee on Education (COE) or the
655	655	board, in the area of care and treatment of animals. It
656	656	embodies limited skills, responsibility, and minimal exercise
657	657	of independent judgment in the treatment of patients of
658	658	veterinarians while under direct, indirect, or immediate
659	659	supervision of a veterinarian.
660	660	(27)(29) WHOLESALE VETERINARY DRUG DISTRIBUTOR. A
661	661	person engaged in the business of distributing veterinary
662	662	drugs and medicines for resale to veterinary practitioners and
663	663	other veterinary wholesalers and possesses a current permit
664	664	issued by the Alabama Board of Pharmacy to engage in the
665	665	selling of veterinary drugs or medicines in the State of
666	666	Alabama."
667	667	Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
668	668	1, 2025.
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674	674	314
675	675	315
676	676	316
677	677	317
678	678	318
679	679	319
680	680	320
681	681	321
682	682	322
683	683	323
684	684	324
685	685	325
686	686	326
687	687	327