Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H332 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1875 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 332
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Daniel J. Hunt
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act regulating the practice and licensure of veterinary technicians.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Daniel J. Hunt13th Suffolk1/17/2023William J. Driscoll, Jr.7th Norfolk1/19/2023Steven S. Howitt4th Bristol3/6/2023Richard M. Haggerty30th Middlesex3/8/2023 1 of 5
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1875 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 332
18	18	By Representative Hunt of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 332) of Daniel J.
19	19	Hunt and others for legislation to regulate the practice and licensure of veterinary technicians.
20	20	Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
24	24	(2023-2024)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act regulating the practice and licensure of veterinary technicians.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 13 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition,
30	30	2is hereby amended by inserting after section 26 the following section:-
31	31	3 Section 26A. There shall be a subsidiary board for veterinary technology within and
32	32	4subject to the control of the board of registration in veterinary medicine. Recommendations and
33	33	5decisions of the subsidiary board shall be subject to approval by the board of registration in
34	34	6veterinary medicine.
35	35	7 The subsidiary board shall be comprised of five members appointed by the governor. One
36	36	8member shall be a veterinarian member of the board of registration in veterinary medicine. Three
37	37	9members shall be licensed veterinary technicians selected from a list of nominees provided to the
38	38	10governor by the Massachusetts Veterinary Technician Association. One member shall be
39	39	11appointed as the public member of the subsidiary board. Each member of the subsidiary board
40	40	12shall be a legal resident of the commonwealth. 2 of 5
41	41	13 Members of the subsidiary board shall be appointed for two-year terms, except that the
42	42	14initial veterinarian appointee and one of the initial veterinary technician appointees shall be
43	43	15appointed for three-year terms.
44	44	16 The members of the subsidiary board shall serve without compensation but shall be
45	45	17reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in performance of their duties as members
46	46	18or on behalf of the subsidiary board.
47	47	19 SECTION 2. Section 54A of chapter 112 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
48	48	20amended by adding, after the sixth paragraph, the following:-
49	49	21 “Subsidiary board”, the subsidiary board for veterinary technology, as established in
50	50	22Section 26A of Chapter 13.
51	51	23 “Veterinary technology”, the performance of services within the field of veterinary
52	52	24medicine by a person who, for compensation or personal profit, is employed by or under the
53	53	25supervision of a licensed veterinarian to perform such duties as are required in carrying out
54	54	26medical orders as prescribed by a licensed veterinarian requiring an understanding of veterinary
55	55	27science.
56	56	28 “Veterinary technician”, a graduate of an American Veterinary Medical Association
57	57	29accredited program in veterinary technology or veterinary nursing who has achieved a passing
58	58	30score on an approved licensing exam as determined by the board of registration in veterinary
59	59	31medicine and has successfully applied for a license in the commonwealth.
60	60	32 “Veterinary assistant”, an individual working as part of a veterinary healthcare team who
61	61	33is not licensed as a veterinary technician. 3 of 5
62	62	34 SECTION 3. Chapter 112 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
63	63	35inserting after Section 54A the following new sections:-
64	64	36 Section 54B. The subsidiary board shall promulgate rules and regulations by which
65	65	37veterinary technicians shall be licensed and registered in the commonwealth, subject to approval
66	66	38by the board. The subsidiary board may recommend the suspension or revocation of a veterinary
67	67	39technician’s license for failure to abide by the general laws or regulations promulgated by the
68	68	40board. The subsidiary board shall provide education regarding differences in the duties and
69	69	41actions allowed for by veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants. The subsidiary board
70	70	42shall, subject to the approval of the board, change or alter the duties and rights granted to
71	71	43veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants to reflect changes in the practice of veterinary
72	72	44technology over time.
73	73	45 Such regulations, as promulgated by the subsidiary board and approved by the board,
74	74	46shall: delineate the duties which supervising, licensed veterinarians may assign to licensed
75	75	47veterinary technicians and to non-licensed veterinary assistants, consistent with good veterinary
76	76	48medical practice in the best interests of consumers; address the maintenance, suspension, and
77	77	49revocation of licenses; and provide for continuing education requirements for licensed veterinary
78	78	50technicians.
79	79	51 Veterinary technician students, or other individuals deemed appropriate by the subsidiary
80	80	52board, working under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian or a licensed veterinary
81	81	53technician may engage in activities necessary to learn and practice supervised techniques on
82	82	54patients. 4 of 5
83	83	55 The subsidiary board shall promulgate the criteria by which an individual is deemed a
84	84	56licensed veterinary technician or a non-licensed assistant. Any rules that allow individuals to
85	85	57become licensed without a formal degree in veterinary technology shall have an end date to be
86	86	58determined by the subsidiary board subject to approval by the board. Any such rule shall include
87	87	59consideration of experience, education, and examination.
88	88	60 Section 54C. (a) The rules created by the subsidiary board and approved by the board
89	89	61shall not apply to individual veterinary technicians or veterinary assistants who are working:
90	90	62 (1) as a research institution as defined in section 136A of chapter 140; or
91	91	63 (2) with special cases, including veterinary technicians or veterinary assistants working
92	92	64with zoos and aquaria, diagnostic facilities, licensed wildlife rehabilitation facilities and other
93	93	65such special cases as the subsidiary board shall identify.
94	94	66 Section 54D. Only those individuals who are licensed may utilize the title of veterinary
95	95	67technician. Regardless of job description and duties, anyone who does not hold a valid license to
96	96	68practice veterinary technology in the commonwealth, yet who functions in a similar capacity of
97	97	69supporting the overall care of veterinary patients, shall be referred to as a veterinary assistant.
98	98	70Any individual or veterinary practice who is found to be inappropriately using the title veterinary
99	99	71technician may be subject to fines as established by the board.
100	100	72 SECTION 4. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 26A of chapter 13 to the
101	101	73contrary, until the effective date of regulations establishing the criteria for licensed veterinary
102	102	74technicians, the veterinary technicians appointed to the subsidiary board for veterinary
103	103	75technology shall be Massachusetts Veterinary Technician Association Certified Veterinary
104	104	76Technicians. 5 of 5
105	105	77 SECTION 5. During the initial two years, rules and procedures for veterinary technician
106	106	78licensure will be established by the subsidiary board subject to approval by the board of
107	107	79registration of veterinary medicine. After those rules are established, each veterinary technician
108	108	80member shall be a Massachusetts licensed veterinary technician.
109	109	81 SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its passage.