Assigned to JUDE AS PASSED BY COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1032
veterinarians; malpractice; unprofessional conduct
Purpose
Expands the scope of what is considered unprofessional, dishonorable or sanctionable
conduct by veterinarians. Increases, from $1,000 to $1,900, the maximum civil penalty for
veterinary malpractice that can be charged by the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining
Board (Board).
Background
The Board may revoke or suspend a veterinary license or impose a civil penalty against
any veterinarian for: 1) unprofessional or dishonorable conduct; 2) publicly professing to cure or
treat diseases of a highly contagious, infections and incurable nature; 3) curing or treating an injury
or deformity in such a way as to deceive the public; and 4) testing any animal for any
communicable disease and knowingly stating verbally or in writing that the animal is diseased or
in a disease-free condition if the statement is contrary to the indication of the test made. The Board
may sanction any of the following conduct as an administrative violation, rather than
unprofessional conduct, and may impose a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 for: 1) failure to
timely renew the veterinary license or the premises license while continuing to practice veterinary
medicine or conducting business from that premises; 2) failure to notify the Board in writing within
20 days of any change in residence, practice, ownership, management or responsible veterinarian;
and 3) minor records violations that are routine entries into a medical record and that do not affect
the diagnosis or care of the animal (A.R.S. §§ 32-2232 and 32-2233).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Expands the scope of unprofessional or dishonorable conduct by a veterinarian to include:
a) making a false statement on or altering any document, record or report to include a false
statement concerning the medical treatment of an animal; and
b) withholding known medical information about a domestic animal that is material for the
owner or caretaker to make an informed decision whether to pursue further treatment of
the domestic animal with that veterinarian or with another veterinarian.
2. Expands the scope of conduct that may be sanctioned by the Board as an administrative
violation to include failure to provide records or copies of records of veterinary medical
services, including copies of radiographs, to the owner of an animal or another veterinarian
currently providing veterinary medical services to the animal within 10 days after the date of
the owner's or veterinarian's request or in less than 10 days if the animal's medical condition
requires. FACT SHEET
S.B. 1032 – Amended
Page 2
3. Increases the civil penalty maximum, from $1,000 to $1,900, for any veterinarian responsible
for statutorily outlined misconduct.
4. Defines domestic animal as a mammal, bird, reptile or amphibian that is not considered
livestock and that is kept primarily as a pet or companion or that is bred to be a pet or
companion.
5. Makes technical and conforming changes.
6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
1. Specifies that a veterinarian commits unprofessional or dishonorable conduct by withholding
medical information that is material, rather than necessary, for the owner or caretaker to make
informed decisions.
2. Removes the requirement for the Board to increase the dollar amounts of the maximum civil
penalties imposed for veterinarian malpractice and administrative violation offenses for
inflation, based on the GDP price deflator, for each year beginning January 1, 2026.
Senate Action
JUDE 1/29/25 DPA 7-0-0
Prepared by Senate Research
January 31, 2025
ZD/AW/ci