WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 589
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Chapter 589
(Senate Bill 390)
AN ACT concerning
Provision of Veterinary Services – Routine Medical Care Practice of Veterinary
Medicine and Rabies Vaccines
FOR the purpose of authorizing the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners to issue
a license to an animal control facility to administer rabies vaccines; requiring the
State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners to establish a certain process to
authorize a certain veterinary practitioner licensed to practice veterinary medicine
in another state or jurisdiction to provide routine medical care become licensed to
practice veterinary medicine in the State under certain circumstances; requiring the
Secretary of Health to allow individuals who work in or for a certain veterinary
hospital or a certain animal control facility certain individuals to administer rabies
vaccines under certain circumstances; and generally relating to the provision of
veterinary services in the State.
BY repealing
Article – Agriculture
Section 2–304(e)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Agriculture
Section 2–304(f) and 2–305
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement)
BY adding to
Article – Agriculture
Section 2–305.1
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Health – General
Section 18–313
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Ch. 589 2023 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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Article – Agriculture
2–304.
[(e) (1) The Board may authorize the practice of a health occupation on an
animal by a health care practitioner licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized under the
Health Occupations Article.
(2) If the Board authorizes the practice of a health occupation on an animal
under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Board may:
(i) Impose requirements for education, training, and supervision by
a veterinary practitioner; and
(ii) Require the registration of each health care practitioner
authorized to practice a health occupation on an animal in accordance with this subsection.]
[(f)] (E) On or before December 31 each year, the Board shall report to the
Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General
Assembly on the Board’s disciplinary activities for the previous fiscal year.
2–305.
(a) In this section, “animal control facility” means a humane society, as defined
in § 10–601 of the Criminal Law Article, or a county or municipal designated animal
shelter.
(b) The Board, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Board, may issue a
license to an animal control facility to allow the animal control facility to administer
[drugs]:
(1) DRUGS needed to sedate, euthanize, or sedate and euthanize animals;
AND
(2) RABIES VACCINES IN AC CORDANCE WITH § 18–313 OF THE
HEALTH – GENERAL ARTICLE.
(c) (1) (i) The owner of an animal control facility shall apply for the license.
(ii) The Board shall issue a license in the name of the owner of an
animal control facility.
(2) The application shall designate one individual at the facility
responsible for the drugs AND RABIES VACCINES .
WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 589
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(3) The annual license fee is $100.
(d) In accordance with procedures set out in § 2–311 of this subtitle, the Board
may:
(1) Reject an application for a license; or
(2) Suspend or revoke a license for failure to comply with the Board’s
regulations.
(e) An animal control facility licensed under this section shall comply with the
Board’s requirements relating to employee training.
(f) A member of the Board, or the Board’s designated inspector, may enter an
animal control facility licensed under this section at any reasonable hour to enforce the
Board’s regulations.
(g) In consultation with the Maryland Department of Health, the Board shall
adopt regulations necessary to carry out this section.
2–305.1.
(A) (1) THE BOARD MAY AUTHORIZE T HE PRACTICE OF A HEA LTH
OCCUPATION ON AN ANI MAL BY A HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONER LICENSE D,
CERTIFIED, OR OTHERWISE AUTHORI ZED UNDER THE HEALTH OCCUPATIONS
ARTICLE.
(2) IF THE BOARD AUTHORIZES THE PRACTICE OF A HEALTH
OCCUPATION ON AN ANI MAL UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION , THE
BOARD MAY:
(I) IMPOSE REQUIREMENTS F OR EDUCATION , TRAINING, AND
SUPERVISION BY A VET ERINARY PRACTITI ONER; AND
(II) REQUIRE THE REGISTRAT ION OF EACH HEALTH C ARE
PRACTITIONER AUTHORI ZED TO PRACTICE A HE ALTH OCCUPATION ON A N ANIMAL
IN ACCORDANCE WITH T HIS SUBSECTION .
(B) (1) THE BOARD SHALL ESTABLISH AN EXPEDIT ED PROCESS TO
AUTHORIZE A VETERINA RY PRACTITIONER LICENSED, CERTIFIED, OR OTHERWISE
AUTHORIZED WHO HOLDS A CURRENT , VALID LICENSE TO PRACTICE VETERINA RY
MEDICINE IN ANOTHER STATE OR JURISDICTIO N TO PROVIDE ROUTINE MEDI CAL
CARE IN THE STATE IF THE VETERINA RY PRACTITIONER :
Ch. 589 2023 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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(I) WILL PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO AN ANIMA L SHELTER, AS
DEFINED IN § 2–1701 OF THIS TITLE, LOCATED IN THE STATE; AND
(II) IS NOT OTHERWISE PROH IBITED FROM PRACTICI NG
VETERINARY MEDICINE DUE TO A KNOWN ETHIC S OR CRIMINAL VIOLAT ION.
(2) THE ROUTINE MEDICAL C ARE PROVIDED BY A VETERINARY
PRACTITIONER AUTHORI ZED TO PRACTICE VETE RINARY MEDICINE UNDE R
PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION M AY INCLUDE:
(I) SPAYING AND NEUTERING ;
(II) VACCINATIONS;
(III) HEALTH EXAMINATIONS ; AND
(IV) COMPLETING CERTIFICAT IONS OF HEALTH BECOME
LICENSED TO PRACTICE VETERINARY MEDICINE IN THE STATE.
Article – Health – General
18–313.
The Secretary of Health shall provide a statewide system:
(1) To control rabies;
(2) To grant authority to the public health veterinarian and the local health
officer in matters pertaining to the disposition of animals that bite or otherwise expose
rabies to an individual;
(3) To assist local political subdivisions regarding the laboratory testing of
rabid animals;
(4) To treat each individual who is exposed or suspected of having been
exposed to rabies; [and]
(5) To distribute, in accordance with the conditions set by the Secretary of
Agriculture, the biological products that are needed to prevent and treat rabies; AND
(6) TO ALLOW INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK IN OR FOR A VETERINA RY
HOSPITAL, AS DEFINED IN § 2–304.1 OF THE AGRICULTURE ARTICLE A VETERINARY
TECHNICIAN, AS DEFINED IN § 2–301 OF THE AGRICULTURE ARTICLE, OR OTHER
CLINICAL STAFF WHO W ORK IN OR FOR AN ANI MAL SHELTER, AS DEFINED IN § WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 589
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2–1701 OF THE AGRICULTURE ARTICLE, OR AN ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY, AS
DEFINED IN § 2–305 OF THE AGRICULTURE ARTICLE, TO ADMINISTER RABIES
VACCINES IF:
(I) FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WOR KING IN OR FOR A VET ERINARY
HOSPITAL, THE VETERINARY HOSPITAL IS LICENSED UNDER § 2–304.1 OF THE
AGRICULTURE ARTICLE;
(II) FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WOR KING IN OR FOR AN AN IMAL
CONTROL FACILITY , THE THE ANIMAL SHELTER OR ANIMAL CONTROL FACIL ITY IS
LICENSED TO ADMINIST ER DRUGS UNDER § 2–305 OF THE AGRICULTURE ARTICLE;
AND
(III) THE RABIES VACCINE IS ADMINISTERED IN ACCO RDANCE
WITH APPLICABLE PROT OCOLS FOR LICENSED V ETERINARIANS
(II) THE ANIMAL BEING VACC INATED IS UNDER THE CUSTODY
OR CONTROL OF AN ANI MAL SHELTER OR ANIMA L CONTROL FACILITY ;
(III) THE VETERINARY PRACTITIO NER WHO SIGNS THE RA BIES
VACCINATION CERTIFIC ATE HAS ENSURED THAT THE INDIVIDUAL ADMIN ISTERING
THE RABIES VACCINE W AS APPROPRIATELY TRA INED ON ADMINISTERIN G RABIES
VACCINES, INCLUDING PROPER STO RAGE, HANDLING, ADMINISTRATION , AND
MANAGEMENT OF ADVERSE REAC TIONS; AND
(IV) THE INDIVIDUAL ADMINI STERING THE VACCINE IS
IDENTIFIED ON THE RA BIES VACCINATION CER TIFICATE.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, on or before December 1,
2023, the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners shall report to the General
Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, on:
(1) the status of establishing an expedited process for a veterinary
practitioner who holds a valid, current license to practice veterinary medicine in another
state or jurisdiction to become licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State as
authorized under Section 1 of this Act; and
(2) any financial support needed to implement the expedited process.
SECTION 2. 3. AND BE IT FURTHER EN ACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2023.
Approved by the Governor, May 8, 2023.