HB 303 2024
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to rabies vaccinations; amending s. 2
828.30, F.S.; authorizing certain persons to 3
administer rabies vaccinations to certain animals 4
under indirect supervision of a veterinarian; defining 5
the term "indirect supervision"; conforming 6
provisions; amending ss. 474.203, 767.16, and 828.29, 7
F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the 8
act; providing an effective date. 9
10
Be It Enacted by the Legisl ature of the State of Florida: 11
12
Section 1. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 828.30, 13
Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 14
828.30 Rabies vaccination of dogs, cats, and ferrets. — 15
(1)(a) All dogs, cats, and ferrets 4 months of age or 16
older must be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian or a person 17
authorized under paragraph (b) against rabies with a vaccine 18
that is licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture 19
for use in those species. 20
(b) Acting under the indirect supervision of a 21
veterinarian, an employee, an agent, or a contractor of a county 22
or municipal animal control authority or sheriff may vaccinate 23
against rabies dogs, cats, and ferrets in the custody of an 24
animal control authority or a sheriff that will be transferred, 25
HB 303 2024
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
rescued, fostered, adopted, or reclaimed by the owner. The 26
supervising veterinarian assumes responsibility for any person 27
vaccinating animals at his or her direction or under his or her 28
direct or indirect supervision. As used in this paragraph, the 29
term "indirect supervision" means that the supervising 30
veterinarian is required to be available for consultation 31
through telecommunications but is not required to be physically 32
present during such consultation. 33
(c) The owner of every dog, cat, and ferret shall have the 34
animal revaccinated 12 months after the initial vaccination. 35
Thereafter, the interval between vaccinations shall conform to 36
the vaccine manufacturer's directions. The cost of vaccination 37
must be borne by the animal's owner. Evidence of circulating 38
rabies virus neutralizing antibodies may shall not be used as a 39
substitute for current vaccination in managing rabies exposure 40
or determining the need for booster vaccinations. 41
(3) Upon vaccination against rabies, the licensed 42
veterinarian shall provide the anim al's owner and the animal 43
control authority with a rabies vaccination certificate. Each 44
animal control authority and veterinarian shall use the "Rabies 45
Vaccination Certificate" of the National Association of State 46
Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) or an equivalent form 47
approved by the local government that contains all the 48
information required by the NASPHV Rabies Vaccination 49
Certificate. The veterinarian who administers the rabies 50
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
vaccination or who supervises the administration of the rabies 51
vaccination as provided in paragraph (1)(b) vaccine to an animal 52
as authorized required under this section may affix his or her 53
signature stamp in lieu of an actual signature. 54
Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section 55
474.203, Florida Statutes, is am ended to read: 56
474.203 Exemptions. —This chapter does not apply to: 57
(5)(a) Any person, or the person's regular employee, 58
administering to the ills or injuries of her or his own animals, 59
including, but not limited to, castration, spaying, and 60
dehorning of herd animals, unless title is transferred or 61
employment provided for the purpose of circumventing this law. 62
This exemption does not apply to any person licensed as a 63
veterinarian in another state or foreign jurisdiction and 64
practicing temporarily in this state. However, except as 65
provided in s. 828.30, only a veterinarian may immunize or treat 66
an animal for diseases that are communicable to humans and that 67
are of public health significance. 68
69
For the purposes of chapters 465 and 893, persons exempt 70
pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2), or subsection (4) 71
are deemed to be duly licensed practitioners authorized by the 72
laws of this state to prescribe drugs or medicinal supplies. 73
Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 767.16, Florida 74
Statutes, is amended to read: 75
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
767.16 Police canine or service dog; exemption. — 76
(2) Any dog used as a service dog for blind, hearing 77
impaired, or disabled persons that bites another animal or a 78
human is exempt from any quarantine requirement following such 79
bite if the dog has a current rabies vaccination that was 80
administered as provided in s. 828.30 by a licensed 81
veterinarian. 82
Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and paragraph 83
(b) of subsection (2) of section 828.29, Florida Statutes, are 84
amended to read: 85
828.29 Dogs and cats transported or offered for sale; 86
health requirements; consumer guarantee. — 87
(1) 88
(b) For each dog offered for sale within the state, the 89
tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics required by this section must 90
be administered by or under the direction of a veterinarian, 91
licensed by the state and accredited b y the United States 92
Department of Agriculture, who issues the official certificate 93
of veterinary inspection. The tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics 94
must be administered before the dog is offered for sale in the 95
state, unless the licensed, accredited veteri narian certifies on 96
the official certificate of veterinary inspection that to 97
inoculate or deworm the dog is not in the best medical interest 98
of the dog, in which case the vaccine or anthelmintic may not be 99
administered to that particular dog. Each dog mus t receive 100
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
vaccines and anthelmintics against the following diseases and 101
internal parasites: 102
1. Canine distemper. 103
2. Leptospirosis. 104
3. Bordetella (by intranasal inoculation or by an 105
alternative method of administration if deemed necessary by the 106
attending veterinarian and noted on the health certificate, 107
which must be administered in this state once before sale). 108
4. Parainfluenza. 109
5. Hepatitis. 110
6. Canine parvo. 111
7. Rabies, provided the dog is over 3 months of age and 112
the inoculation is administe red by as provided in s. 828.30 a 113
licensed veterinarian . 114
8. Roundworms. 115
9. Hookworms. 116
117
If the dog is under 4 months of age, the tests, vaccines, and 118
anthelmintics required by this section must be administered no 119
more than 21 days before sale within the state. If the dog is 4 120
months of age or older, the tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics 121
required by this section must be administered at or after 3 122
months of age, but no more than 1 year before sale within the 123
state. 124
(2) 125
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
(b) For each cat offered for sale within the state, the 126
tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics required by this section must 127
be administered by or under the direction of a veterinarian, 128
licensed by the state and accredited by the United States 129
Department of Agriculture, who issues the officia l certificate 130
of veterinary inspection. The tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics 131
must be administered before the cat is offered for sale in the 132
state, unless the licensed, accredited veterinarian certifies on 133
the official certificate of veterinary inspection that to 134
inoculate or deworm the cat is not in the best medical interest 135
of the cat, in which case the vaccine or anthelmintic may not be 136
administered to that particular cat. Each cat must receive 137
vaccines and anthelmintics against the following diseases a nd 138
internal parasites: 139
1. Panleukopenia. 140
2. Feline viral rhinotracheitis. 141
3. Calici virus. 142
4. Rabies, if the cat is over 3 months of age and the 143
inoculation is administered as provided in s. 828.30 by a 144
licensed veterinarian . 145
5. Hookworms. 146
6. Roundworms. 147
148
If the cat is under 4 months of age, the tests, vaccines, and 149
anthelmintics required by this section must be administered no 150
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
more than 21 days before sale within the state. If the cat is 4 151
months of age or older, the tests, vaccines, and anthel mintics 152
required by this section must be administered at or after 3 153
months of age, but no more than 1 year before sale within the 154
state. 155
Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 156