HB 911 — Medical Treatment of Animals

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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 911 2021 A bill to be entitled An act relating to the medical treatment of animals;

authorizing theveterinarians useto ofestablish veterinaryveterinarian/client/patient telemedicine;relationship remotely;

authorizingprohibiting aveterinarians veterinarianfrom whoprescribing establishescontrolled asubstances; veterinarian/client/ patient relationship without a physical examination or without making medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal is kept to provide specified services;

prohibitingproviding suchexceptions; veterinarian from prescribing specified drugs or controlled substances under certain circumstances;

providing that a supervising veterinarian assumes responsibility for any person working at his or her discretion or under his or her supervision;

providing thatrequirements; a supervising veterinarian assumes responsibility for any person Page 1 of 8 CODING:

authorizing a veterinarian who indirectly supervises the administration of the rabies vaccination to affix his or her signature stamp on a rabies vaccination Page 1 of 7 CODING:

hb0911-02-c2hb0911-01-c1 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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 911 2021 workingcertificate; at his or her discretion or under his or her supervision;

authorizing a veterinarian who indirectly supervises the administration of the rabies vaccination to affix his or her signature stamp on a rabies vaccination certificate;

Such relationship may be established in personperson, or by making medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal is kept or by means of veterinary telemedicine if audio-visual technology is used to establish such relationship.

(14)A "Veterinaryphysical telemedicine"examination meansis thenot practicerequired offor veterinarythe medicineveterinarian into aassume remoteresponsibility setting,for includingmaking throughmedical thejudgments use of telephone or audio-visualproviding technologytreatment. or by other means consistent with the veterinarian's professional judgment, as Page 2 of 8 CODING:

Words(14) stricken"Veterinary aretelemedicine" deletions;means the practice of veterinary medicine in a remote setting, including through the use of telephone or audio-visual technology or by other means consistent with the veterinarian's professional judgment, as long as the veterinarian/client/patient relationship is established either in person or by audio-visual technology.

words underlined are additions.

hb0911-02-c2 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 CS/CS/HB 911 2021 long as the veterinarian/client/patient relationship is established either in person or by making medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal is kept or by audio-visual technology.

474.2021Page Veterinary2 telemedicine.—of (1)7 ACODING: veterinarian may practice veterinary telemedicine.

A physical examination is not required for the veterinarian to assume responsibility for making medical judgments or providing treatment by means of veterinary telemedicine in a manner consistent with the veterinary standard of care.

(2)(a) A veterinarian who establishes a veterinarian/client/patient relationship without a physical examination or without making medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal is kept may only provide the following services through veterinary telemedicine:

1.

Triage of patients in first aid and emergency cases.

2.

Consultation and prescription of drugs for the following areas of care:

nutrition, training, dermatological conditions, and anxiety.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a veterinarian may not prescribe drugs for extralabel use or veterinary feed directive drugs without a veterinarian/client/patient relationship that is established through a physical examination or medically Page 3 of 8 CODING:

hb0911-02-c2hb0911-01-c1 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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 911 2021 appropriate474.2021 andVeterinary timelyTelemedicine.— visits(1) toA theveterinarian premisesmay wherepractice theveterinary animaltelemedicine. is kept and is otherwise consistent with federal law.

(3)(2) A veterinarian may not prescribe controlled substances if the veterinarian/client/patient relationship has been established byremotely means of veterinary telemedicine under this section and the veterinarian has not previously performed a physical examinationexamination, orunless madethe medicallycontrolled appropriatesubstance andis timelyprescribed visitsfor to the premisesfollowing: where the animal is kept.

(4)(a) AInpatient veterinariantreatment mustat holdan aanimal currentclinic licenseor tohospital; practice veterinary medicine in this state in order to practice veterinary telemedicine.

(5)or (b) The boardtreatment hasof jurisdiction over a veterinarianpatient practicingreceiving veterinaryhospice telemedicineservices. in this state, regardless of where the veterinarian's physical offices are located.

(3) A veterinarian must hold a current license to practice veterinary medicine in this state in order to practice veterinary telemedicine.

(4) The board has jurisdiction over a veterinarian practicing veterinary telemedicine in this state, regardless of where the veterinarian's physical offices are located.

The same veterinary standard of care applies to services provided through veterinary telemedicine as applies to veterinary care provided during an in-person visit.

(5)(a) Any person, or the person's regular employee, administering to the ills or injuries of her or his own animals, Page 43 of 87 CODING:

hb0911-02-c2hb0911-01-c1 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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 911 2021 including, but not limited to, castration, spaying, and dehorning of herd animals, unless title is transferred or employment provided for the purpose of circumventing this law.

86 For the purposes of chapters 465 and 893, persons exempt pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2), or subsection (4) are deemed to be duly licensed practitioners authorized by the laws of this state to prescribe drugs or medicinal supplies.

Page 54 of 87 CODING:

hb0911-02-c2hb0911-01-c1 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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 911 2021 1.

Have sufficient knowledge of the animal to initiate at least a general or preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition of the animal, which means that the veterinarian is personally acquainted with the keeping and caring of the animal or and has recently seen the animal or has made medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal is kept.

(b) An employee, agent, or contractor of an animal control authority acting under the indirect supervision of a veterinarian may vaccinate impounded animals that will be transferred, rescued, fostered, adopted, or reclaimed by the Page 65 of 87 CODING:

hb0911-02-c2hb0911-01-c1 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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 911 2021 owner.

The veterinarian who administers the rabies vaccination, or who supervises an employee, agent, or contractor Page 76 of 87 CODING:

hb0911-02-c2hb0911-01-c1 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 CS/CS/HBCS/HB 911 2021 of an animal control authority administering the rabies vaccination, vaccine to an animal as required under this section may affix his or her signature stamp in lieu of an actual signature.