Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 18 of the Regular Session
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 61 3
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By: Senator Hill 5
By: Representatives Vaught, Painter 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE VETERINARY TELEMEDICINE IN THIS 9
STATE; TO SET CERTAIN STANDARDS FOR VETERINARY 10
TELEMEDICINE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 11
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Subtitle 14
TO AUTHORIZE VETERINARY TELEMEDICINE IN 15
THIS STATE; AND TO SET CERTAIN STANDARDS 16
FOR VETERINARY TELEMEDICINE. 17
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 19
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 17 -101-102, concerning definitions within 21
the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Practice Act and relating to the practice of 22
veterinary medicine, is amended to add additional subdivisions to read as 23
follows: 24
(21) "Large animal" means an animal that is livestock as defined 25
by 7 U.S.C. § 1471, as existing on January 1, 2025, or is classified as a 26
Category II animal under the National Veterinary Accreditation Program; 27
(22) "Small animal" means an animal that is classified as a 28
Category I animal under the National Veterinary Accreditation Program, 29
including without limitation a dog, cat, rat, mouse, gerbil, guinea pig, 30
hamster, ferret, hedgehog, or lizard; and 31
(23)(A) "Veterinary telemedicine" means the practice of 32
veterinary medicine in which the animal patient care, treatment, and services 33
are provided by electronic communication, including telephone and audio -34
visual technology, consistent with the veterinarian's professional judgment. 35
(B) "Veterinary telemedicine" includes providing: 36 SB61
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(i) Health information, opinion, guidance, or 1
recommendation that is not specific to a particular animal; or 2
(ii) A timely assessment and decision as to whether 3
to immediately refer an animal patient to a veterinarian for emergency or 4
urgent care. 5
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code Title 17, Chapter 101, Subchapter 1, is 7
amended to add an additional section to read as follows: 8
17-101-104. Veterinary telemedicine standards. 9
(a) Only a licensed veterinarian shall provide veterinary telemedicine 10
to an animal patient located in this state. 11
(b) In an emergency or urgent situation, a licensed veterinarian may 12
provide veterinary telemedicine without previously establishing a 13
veterinarian-client-patient relationship if the licensed veterinarian 14
establishes a veterinarian -client-patient relationship within: 15
(1) Seven (7) calendar days after providing the veterinary 16
telemedicine services for a small animal; or 17
(2) Twenty-one (21) calendar days after providing the veterinary 18
telemedicine services for a large animal. 19
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APPROVED: 2/6/25 22
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