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| 9 | 9 | | Page 1 of 9 |
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| 10 | 10 | | 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 |
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| 14 | 14 | | A bill to be entitled 1 |
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| 15 | 15 | | An act relating to the practice of veterinary 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | medicine; amending s. 474.201, F.S.; conforming 3 |
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| 17 | 17 | | provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 4 |
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| 18 | 18 | | 474.202, F.S.; providing definitions; amending s. 5 |
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| 19 | 19 | | 474.204, F.S.; revising the membership of the Board of 6 |
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| 20 | 20 | | Veterinary Medicine; creating s. 474.223, F.S.; 7 |
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| 21 | 21 | | requiring the board to adopt specified rules; 8 |
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| 22 | 22 | | establishing application criteria for persons who 9 |
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| 23 | 23 | | desire to become licensed as veterinary technicians; 10 |
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| 24 | 24 | | establishing application criteria for persons who are 11 |
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| 25 | 25 | | licensed as veterinary technicians; authorizing 12 |
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| 26 | 26 | | licensed veterinary technicians or technologists to 13 |
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| 27 | 27 | | perform specified services under the supervision of 14 |
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| 28 | 28 | | licensed veterinarians; requiring supervising 15 |
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| 29 | 29 | | veterinarians to determine the appropriate level of 16 |
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| 30 | 30 | | supervision in the performance of such services unless 17 |
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| 31 | 31 | | otherwise provided for by board rule or general law; 18 |
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| 32 | 32 | | providing considerations for supervising 19 |
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| 33 | 33 | | veterinarians; providing that licensed veterinarians 20 |
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| 34 | 34 | | are responsible for all services performed by licensed 21 |
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| 35 | 35 | | veterinary technicians or technologists; providing 22 |
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| 36 | 36 | | services that only licensed veterinarians may make or 23 |
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| 37 | 37 | | provide; authorizing a supervising veterinarian to 24 |
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| 38 | 38 | | delegate to a licensed veterinary technician the 25 |
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| 40 | 40 | | HB 767 2025 |
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| 46 | 46 | | Page 2 of 9 |
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| 47 | 47 | | 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 |
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| 51 | 51 | | responsibility of supervising certain tasks performed 26 |
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| 52 | 52 | | by unlicensed persons; prohibiting persons from making 27 |
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| 53 | 53 | | specified representations; prohibiting veterinary 28 |
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| 54 | 54 | | assistants from identifying as veterinarian 29 |
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| 55 | 55 | | technicians or licensed veterinarian technicians 30 |
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| 56 | 56 | | unless certain conditions are met; providing a 31 |
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| 57 | 57 | | penalty; amending s. 828 .30, F.S.; conforming 32 |
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| 58 | 58 | | provisions to changes made by the act; providing an 33 |
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| 59 | 59 | | effective date. 34 |
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| 60 | 60 | | 35 |
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| 61 | 61 | | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 36 |
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| 62 | 62 | | 37 |
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| 63 | 63 | | Section 1. Section 474.201, Florida Statutes, is amended 38 |
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| 64 | 64 | | to read: 39 |
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| 65 | 65 | | 474.201 Purpose.—The Legislature finds that the practice 40 |
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| 66 | 66 | | of veterinary medicine is potentially dangerous to the public 41 |
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| 67 | 67 | | health and safety if conducted by incompetent and unlicensed 42 |
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| 68 | 68 | | practitioners and veterinary technicians . The legislative 43 |
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| 69 | 69 | | purpose in enacting this chapter is to ensure th at every 44 |
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| 70 | 70 | | veterinarian and licensed veterinary technician practicing in 45 |
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| 71 | 71 | | this state meet minimum requirements for safe practice. It is 46 |
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| 72 | 72 | | the legislative intent that veterinarians and licensed 47 |
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| 73 | 73 | | veterinary technicians who are not normally competent or who 48 |
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| 74 | 74 | | otherwise present a danger to the public shall be disciplined or 49 |
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| 75 | 75 | | prohibited from practicing in this state. 50 |
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| 83 | 83 | | Page 3 of 9 |
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| 84 | 84 | | 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 |
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| 88 | 88 | | Section 2. Subsections (6) through (12), (13), and (14) of 51 |
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| 89 | 89 | | section 474.202, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections 52 |
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| 90 | 90 | | (7) through (13), (15), and (19), respectively, and new 53 |
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| 91 | 91 | | subsections (6), (14), (16), (17), and (18) are added to that 54 |
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| 92 | 92 | | section, to read: 55 |
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| 93 | 93 | | 474.202 Definitions. —As used in this chapter: 56 |
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| 94 | 94 | | (6) "Licensed veterinary technician" means a person who 57 |
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| 95 | 95 | | practices veterinary technology in this st ate and is licensed 58 |
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| 96 | 96 | | under the authority of this chapter. 59 |
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| 97 | 97 | | (14) "Veterinary assistant" means a person who practices 60 |
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| 98 | 98 | | on a veterinary team providing medical care for animals who is 61 |
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| 99 | 99 | | not a licensed veterinary technician. 62 |
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| 100 | 100 | | (16) "Veterinary technician" means a person who has 63 |
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| 101 | 101 | | graduated with an associate degree from a veterinary technology 64 |
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| 102 | 102 | | training program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical 65 |
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| 103 | 103 | | Association Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and 66 |
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| 104 | 104 | | Activities (CVTEA). 67 |
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| 105 | 105 | | (17) "Veterinary technologist" means a person who has 68 |
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| 106 | 106 | | graduated with a bachelor's degree from a veterinary technology 69 |
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| 107 | 107 | | training program accredited by the CVTEA. 70 |
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| 108 | 108 | | (18) "Veterinary technology" means the science and art of 71 |
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| 109 | 109 | | providing certain aspects of the medical care and treatment of 72 |
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| 110 | 110 | | patients within an established veterinarian/client/patient 73 |
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| 111 | 111 | | relationship by a veterinary technician or veterinary 74 |
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| 112 | 112 | | technologist that is delegated and supervised by a veterinarian. 75 |
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| 121 | 121 | | 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 |
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| 125 | 125 | | The term does not include the diagnosis, surgery, or the 76 |
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| 126 | 126 | | prescription of medicatio ns or appliances. 77 |
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| 127 | 127 | | Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 474.204, Florida 78 |
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| 128 | 128 | | Statutes, is amended to read: 79 |
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| 129 | 129 | | 474.204 Board of Veterinary Medicine. — 80 |
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| 130 | 130 | | (2)(a) Five members of the board shall be licensed 81 |
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| 131 | 131 | | veterinarians. 82 |
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| 132 | 132 | | (b) One member of the board shall be a licensed veterinary 83 |
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| 133 | 133 | | technician who has been actively engaged in the practice of 84 |
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| 134 | 134 | | veterinary technology for at least 5 years immediately preceding 85 |
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| 135 | 135 | | the date of appointment to the board. 86 |
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| 136 | 136 | | (c) One member of the board shall be a layperson Two 87 |
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| 137 | 137 | | members of the board shall be laypersons who is are not and has 88 |
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| 138 | 138 | | have never been a veterinarian or member veterinarians or 89 |
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| 139 | 139 | | members of any closely related profession or occupation. 90 |
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| 140 | 140 | | Section 4. Section 474.223, Florida Statutes, is created 91 |
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| 141 | 141 | | to read: 92 |
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| 142 | 142 | | 474.223 Licensed vet erinary technicians. — 93 |
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| 143 | 143 | | (1) The board shall adopt rules to regulate the profession 94 |
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| 144 | 144 | | and practice of veterinary technology. 95 |
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| 145 | 145 | | (2) A person may become licensed as a veterinary 96 |
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| 146 | 146 | | technician if he or she applies to the board and: 97 |
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| 147 | 147 | | (a) Submits a completed applica tion and remits the fee set 98 |
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| 148 | 148 | | by the board. 99 |
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| 149 | 149 | | (b) Has graduated from a college program of veterinary 100 |
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| 158 | 158 | | 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 |
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| 160 | 160 | | |
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| 161 | 161 | | |
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| 162 | 162 | | technology accredited by the American Veterinary Medical 101 |
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| 163 | 163 | | Association Committee on Veterinary Technicians Education and 102 |
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| 164 | 164 | | Activities (CVTEA). 103 |
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| 165 | 165 | | (c) Has obtained a passing score on the Veterinary 104 |
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| 166 | 166 | | Technician National Exam, as determined by the American 105 |
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| 167 | 167 | | Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). 106 |
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| 168 | 168 | | (d) Demonstrates knowledge of the laws and rules governing 107 |
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| 169 | 169 | | the practice of veterinary technology in this state in a manner 108 |
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| 170 | 170 | | designated by rules of the board. 109 |
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| 171 | 171 | | (3) A person who is a certified veterinary technician in 110 |
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| 172 | 172 | | good standing with the Florida Veterinary Technician Association 111 |
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| 173 | 173 | | or the Florida Veterinary Medical Association may become 112 |
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| 174 | 174 | | licensed as a veterinary technici an if he or she: 113 |
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| 175 | 175 | | (a) Submits a completed application and remits the fee set 114 |
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| 176 | 176 | | by the board. 115 |
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| 177 | 177 | | (b) Demonstrates knowledge of the laws and rules governing 116 |
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| 178 | 178 | | the practice of veterinary technology in this state in a manner 117 |
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| 179 | 179 | | designated by rules of the board. 118 |
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| 180 | 180 | | (4) A veterinary technician or a veterinary technologist 119 |
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| 181 | 181 | | must be licensed under this section to perform the following 120 |
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| 182 | 182 | | veterinary technology services under the supervision of a 121 |
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| 183 | 183 | | licensed veterinarian: 122 |
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| 184 | 184 | | (a) Arterial and central venous catheterization. 123 |
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| 185 | 185 | | (b) Euthanasia, under the immediate supervision of a 124 |
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| 186 | 186 | | veterinarian. 125 |
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| 195 | 195 | | 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 |
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| 196 | 196 | | |
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| 197 | 197 | | |
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| 198 | 198 | | |
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| 199 | 199 | | (c) Intraperitoneal injections. 126 |
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| 200 | 200 | | (d) Placement of gastric, nasoesophageal, and nasogastric 127 |
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| 201 | 201 | | tubes. 128 |
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| 202 | 202 | | (e) Suture or staple skin lacerations, gingival incisions, 129 |
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| 203 | 203 | | or existing surgical incisions. 130 |
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| 204 | 204 | | (f) Paravertebral blocks and epidurals. 131 |
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| 205 | 205 | | (g) A complex single root extraction that is beyond a 132 |
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| 206 | 206 | | simple digital extraction of a tooth that requires periosteal 133 |
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| 207 | 207 | | elevation but does not require sectioning of the tooth or of the 134 |
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| 208 | 208 | | bone. 135 |
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| 209 | 209 | | (h) Blood or blood compo nent collection, preparation, and 136 |
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| 210 | 210 | | administration for transfusion or blood banking purposes. 137 |
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| 211 | 211 | | (i) Ear flushing with powered mechanical devices creating 138 |
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| 212 | 212 | | pressure or suction. 139 |
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| 213 | 213 | | (j) A thoracentesis or an abdominocentesis. 140 |
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| 214 | 214 | | (k) Application of casts, splints, and slings for the 141 |
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| 215 | 215 | | immobilization of fractures. 142 |
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| 216 | 216 | | (l) Placement of an epidural, an intraosseous, or a nasal 143 |
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| 217 | 217 | | catheter. 144 |
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| 218 | 218 | | (m) Administering rabies vaccinations, under the immediate 145 |
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| 219 | 219 | | supervision of a veterinarian. 146 |
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| 220 | 220 | | (n) Examinations performed within a previous ly established 147 |
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| 221 | 221 | | veterinarian/client/patient relationship for routine health care 148 |
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| 222 | 222 | | needs, followup treatment, or accepted animal husbandry on 149 |
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| 223 | 223 | | livestock, excluding an examination required for the purpose of 150 |
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| 232 | 232 | | 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 |
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| 236 | 236 | | state or federal health certificates. 151 |
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| 237 | 237 | | (5) Unless otherwise provided for in this section or 152 |
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| 238 | 238 | | designated by board rule, the supervising veterinarian shall 153 |
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| 239 | 239 | | determine the appropriate level of supervision and protocol for 154 |
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| 240 | 240 | | a service under subsection (4). All other tasks may be performed 155 |
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| 241 | 241 | | by licensed or unlicensed persons at the discretion of the 156 |
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| 242 | 242 | | supervising veterinarian. In determining the appropriate level 157 |
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| 243 | 243 | | of supervision, the veterinarian must consider the level of 158 |
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| 244 | 244 | | training and experience of the person to whom the task is 159 |
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| 245 | 245 | | delegated. However, the licensed veterinar ian is responsible for 160 |
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| 246 | 246 | | all services performed by such persons, regardless of licensure, 161 |
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| 247 | 247 | | and only a licensed veterinarian may make or provide any 162 |
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| 248 | 248 | | diagnosis, perform any surgery, or prescribe any medicinal 163 |
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| 249 | 249 | | drugs, as defined in s. 465.003(15), or controlled s ubstances, 164 |
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| 250 | 250 | | as defined in s. 893.02(4). 165 |
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| 251 | 251 | | (6) A supervising veterinarian may, in his or her 166 |
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| 252 | 252 | | discretion, delegate to a licensed veterinary technician the 167 |
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| 253 | 253 | | responsibility of supervising a task performed by an unlicensed 168 |
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| 254 | 254 | | person, except for a service under subse ction (4). 169 |
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| 255 | 255 | | (7)(a) A person may not: 170 |
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| 256 | 256 | | 1. Lead another person to believe that he or she is a 171 |
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| 257 | 257 | | licensed veterinary technician or is engaged in the licensed 172 |
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| 258 | 258 | | practice of veterinary technology unless he or she holds a 173 |
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| 259 | 259 | | valid, active license under this section. 174 |
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| 260 | 260 | | 2. Use the name or title "licensed veterinary technician" 175 |
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| 269 | 269 | | 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 |
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| 270 | 270 | | |
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| 271 | 271 | | |
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| 272 | 272 | | |
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| 273 | 273 | | if he or she is not licensed pursuant to this section. 176 |
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| 274 | 274 | | (b) A veterinary assistant may not identify himself or 177 |
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| 275 | 275 | | herself as a veterinary technician or a licensed veterinary 178 |
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| 276 | 276 | | technician unless he or she is a graduate of an accredited 179 |
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| 277 | 277 | | veterinary technology program or licensed under this chapter, as 180 |
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| 278 | 278 | | applicable. 181 |
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| 279 | 279 | | (c) A person who violates this subsection commits a 182 |
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| 280 | 280 | | misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 183 |
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| 281 | 281 | | 775.082 or s. 775.083. 184 |
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| 282 | 282 | | Section 5. Subsection (1) of section 828.30, Florida 185 |
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| 283 | 283 | | Statutes, is amended to read: 186 |
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| 284 | 284 | | 828.30 Rabies vaccination of dogs, cats, and ferrets. — 187 |
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| 285 | 285 | | (1)(a) All dogs, cats, and ferrets 4 months of age or 188 |
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| 286 | 286 | | older must be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian , a licensed 189 |
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| 287 | 287 | | veterinary technician under the immediate supervision of a 190 |
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| 288 | 288 | | veterinarian, or a person authorized under paragraph (b) against 191 |
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| 289 | 289 | | rabies with a vaccine that is licensed by the United States 192 |
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| 290 | 290 | | Department of Agriculture for use in those species. 193 |
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| 291 | 291 | | (b) Acting under the indirect supervision of a 194 |
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| 292 | 292 | | veterinarian, an employee, an agent, or a contractor of a county 195 |
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| 293 | 293 | | or municipal animal control authority or sheriff may vaccinate 196 |
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| 294 | 294 | | against rabies dogs, cats, and ferrets that are in the custody 197 |
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| 295 | 295 | | of an animal control authority or a sheriff and which will be 198 |
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| 296 | 296 | | transferred, rescued, fostered, adopted, or reclaimed by the 199 |
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| 297 | 297 | | owner. The supervising veterinarian assumes responsibility for 200 |
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| 306 | 306 | | 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 |
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| 307 | 307 | | |
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| 308 | 308 | | |
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| 309 | 309 | | |
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| 310 | 310 | | any person vaccinating animals at his or her direction or under 201 |
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| 311 | 311 | | his or her direct or indirect supervisi on. As used in this 202 |
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| 312 | 312 | | paragraph, the term "indirect supervision" means that the 203 |
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| 313 | 313 | | supervising veterinarian is required to be available for 204 |
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| 314 | 314 | | consultation through telecommunications but is not required to 205 |
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| 315 | 315 | | be physically present during such consultation. 206 |
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| 316 | 316 | | (c) The owner of every dog, cat, and ferret shall have the 207 |
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| 317 | 317 | | animal revaccinated 12 months after the initial vaccination. 208 |
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| 318 | 318 | | Thereafter, the interval between vaccinations shall conform to 209 |
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| 319 | 319 | | the vaccine manufacturer's directions. The cost of vaccination 210 |
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| 320 | 320 | | must be borne by the animal's owner. Evidence of circulating 211 |
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| 321 | 321 | | rabies virus neutralizing antibodies may not be used as a 212 |
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| 322 | 322 | | substitute for current vaccination in managing rabies exposure 213 |
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| 323 | 323 | | or determining the need for booster vaccinations. 214 |
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| 324 | 324 | | Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 215 |
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