Page 1 January 10, 2024 HB24-1048 Legislative Council Staff Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature Fiscal Note Drafting Number: Prime Sponsors: LLS 24-0363 Rep. McCormick; Martinez Sen. Ginal; Pelton B. Date: Bill Status: Fiscal Analyst: January 10, 2024 House Agriculture Clayton Mayfield | 303-866-5851 clayton.mayfield@coleg.gov Bill Topic: PROVIDING VETERINARY SERVICES THROUGH TELEHEALTH Summary of Fiscal Impact: ☐ State Revenue ☒ State Expenditure ☐ State Transfer ☐ TABOR Refund ☐ Local Government ☐ Statutory Public Entity The bill establishes a framework for the delivery of veterinary services through telemedicine and requires the Department of Regulatory Agencies to promulgate rules. The bill minimally increases state workload for FY 2024-25. Appropriation Summary: No appropriation is required. Fiscal Note Status: This fiscal note reflects the introduced bill, which was recommended by the Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee. Summary of Legislation The bill establishes a framework for the delivery of veterinary services through telemedicine. The Board of Veterinary Medicine in the Department of Regulatory Affairs (DORA) is authorized to promulgate rules regarding the use of telemedicine to provide veterinary services. Additionally, the bill requires a person to be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Colorado in order to practice veterinary telemedicine. Comparable Crime Analysis Legislative Council Staff is required to include certain information in the fiscal note for any bill that creates a new crime, changes the classification of an existing crime, or creates a new factual basis for an existing crime. The following section outlines crimes that are comparable to the offense in this bill and discusses assumptions on future rates of criminal convictions resulting from the bill. Page 2 January 10, 2024 HB24-1048 Prior conviction data and assumptions. This bill creates a new factual basis for the existing offense of unauthorized practice of veterinary medicine, a class 2 misdemeanor, by adding unauthorized use of telemedicine. From FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23, two offenders have been sentenced and convicted for unauthorized practice of veterinary medicine. Based on the low number of yearly convictions for this existing crime, the fiscal note assumes that there will be minimal or no additional criminal case filings or convictions for this offense under the bill. Because the bill is not expected to have a tangible impact on criminal justice-related revenue or expenditures at the state or local levels, these potential impacts are not discussed further in this fiscal note. Visit leg.colorado.gov/fiscalnotes for more information about criminal justice costs in fiscal notes. State Expenditures The bill minimally increases workload in DORA for FY 2024-25 to promulgate any necessary rules concerning veterinary telemedicine, and to conduct outreach and education. This increase is absorbable within existing resources, and no change in appropriations is required. Effective Date The bill takes effect 90 days following adjournment of the General Assembly sine die, assuming no referendum petition is filed. State and Local Government Contacts Regulatory Agencies The revenue and expenditure impacts in this fiscal note represent changes from current law under the bill for each fiscal year. For additional information about fiscal notes, please visit: leg.colorado.gov/fiscalnotes.