HB1586--VETERINARYMEDICINE
SPONSOR: Murphy
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPass"bytheStandingCommitteeon
RuralCommunityDevelopmentbyavoteof8to2.
ThisbillspecifiesthattheGeneralAssemblypreemptsany
politicalsubdivisionfromenacting,maintaining,orenforcingany
order,ordinance,rule,regulation,policy,orothersimilar
measurethatprohibits,restricts,limits,regulates,controls,
directs,orinterfereswiththepracticeofveterinarymedicine.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatmedicaltreatmentforananimal
shouldbethedecisionoftheownerafterconsultationwitha
licensedveterinarian;notthedecisionofelectedorappointed
governmentofficials. Thisbillwouldensurethatthepracticeof
veterinarymedicineislefttolicensedveterinarians.
TestifyingforthebillwereRepresentative Murphy;MissouriFarm
Bureau;MissouriPetBreedersAssociation;andtheMissouri
Cattlemen'sAssociation.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatthisbillistoo
vagueandisanoverreachbytheGeneralAssembly. Thebilldoes
notdefineveterinarymedicineandcouldallowanimalabuseunder
thepretenseofveterinarymedicine.
TestifyingagainstthebillwereAnneSchweitzer;CodyAtkinson,
HumaneSocietyoftheUnitedStates;andtheMissouriAlliancefor
AnimalLegislation. Additionaltestimonywassubmittedin
oppositiontothebil.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.