Florida Senate - 2015                                     SB 716
       
       
        
       By Senator Hays
       
       
       
       
       
       11-00757-15                                            2015716__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to veterinary medical practice;
    3         amending s. 474.203, F.S.; requiring individuals
    4         otherwise exempt from the requirements of ch. 474,
    5         F.S., relating to veterinary medical practice to
    6         comply with the veterinary medical patient record
    7         requirements; providing an effective date.
    8          
    9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   10  
   11         Section 1. Section 474.203, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   12  read:
   13         474.203 Exemptions.—This chapter, except s. 474.2165, does
   14  not apply to:
   15         (1) Any faculty member practicing only in conjunction with
   16  teaching duties at a school or college of veterinary medicine
   17  located in this state and accredited by the American Veterinary
   18  Medical Association Council on Education. However, this
   19  exemption applies only to such a faculty member who does not
   20  hold a valid license issued under this chapter but who is a
   21  graduate of a school or college of veterinary medicine
   22  accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association
   23  Council on Education or a school or college recognized by the
   24  American Veterinary Medical Association Educational Commission
   25  for Foreign Veterinary Graduates. The faculty member exemption
   26  automatically expires when such school or college terminates the
   27  faculty member from such teaching duties. On December 31 of each
   28  year, such school or college shall provide the board with a
   29  written list of all faculty who are exempt from this chapter.
   30  Such school or college shall also notify the board in writing of
   31  any additions or deletions to such list.
   32         (2) A person practicing as an intern or resident
   33  veterinarian who does not hold a valid license issued under this
   34  chapter and who is a graduate in training at a school or college
   35  of veterinary medicine located in this state and accredited by
   36  the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education
   37  or a school or college recognized by the American Veterinary
   38  Medical Association Educational Commission for Foreign
   39  Veterinary Graduates. Such intern or resident must be a graduate
   40  of a school or college of veterinary medicine accredited by the
   41  American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education or
   42  a school or college of veterinary medicine recognized by the
   43  Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates of the
   44  American Veterinary Medical Association. This exemption expires
   45  when such intern or resident completes or is terminated from
   46  such training. Each school or college at which such intern or
   47  resident is in training shall, on July 1 of each year, provide
   48  the board with a written list of all such interns or residents
   49  designated for this exemption, and the school or college shall
   50  also notify the board of any additions or deletions to the list.
   51         (3) A student in a school or college of veterinary medicine
   52  while in the performance of duties assigned by her or his
   53  instructor or when working as a preceptor under the immediate
   54  supervision of a licensee, if such preceptorship is required for
   55  graduation from an accredited school or college of veterinary
   56  medicine. The licensed veterinarian is responsible for all acts
   57  performed by a preceptor under her or his supervision.
   58         (4) Any doctor of veterinary medicine in the employ of a
   59  state agency or the United States Government while actually
   60  engaged in the performance of her or his official duties;
   61  however, this exemption does not apply to such person when the
   62  person is not engaged in carrying out her or his official duties
   63  or is not working at the installations for which her or his
   64  services were engaged.
   65         (5)(a) Any person, or the person’s regular employee,
   66  administering to the ills or injuries of her or his own animals,
   67  including, but not limited to, castration, spaying, and
   68  dehorning of herd animals, unless title is transferred or
   69  employment provided for the purpose of circumventing this law.
   70  This exemption does not apply to any person licensed as a
   71  veterinarian in another state or foreign jurisdiction and
   72  practicing temporarily in this state. However, only a
   73  veterinarian may immunize or treat an animal for diseases that
   74  are communicable to humans and that are of public health
   75  significance.
   76         (b) A person hired on a part-time or temporary basis, or as
   77  an independent contractor, by an owner to assist with herd
   78  management and animal husbandry tasks for herd and flock
   79  animals, including castration, dehorning, parasite control, and
   80  debeaking, or a person hired on a part-time or temporary basis,
   81  or as an independent contractor, by an owner to provide farriery
   82  and manual hand floating of teeth on equines. This exemption
   83  does not apply to any person who has been convicted of a
   84  violation of chapter 828 that relates to animal cruelty or a
   85  similar offense in another jurisdiction.
   86         (6) State agencies, accredited schools, institutions,
   87  foundations, business corporations or associations, physicians
   88  licensed to practice medicine and surgery in all its branches,
   89  graduate doctors of veterinary medicine, or persons under the
   90  direct supervision thereof, which or who conduct experiments and
   91  scientific research on animals in the development of
   92  pharmaceuticals, biologicals, serums, or methods of treatment,
   93  or techniques for the diagnosis or treatment of human ailments,
   94  or when engaged in the study and development of methods and
   95  techniques directly or indirectly applicable to the problems of
   96  the practice of veterinary medicine.
   97         (7) Any veterinary aide, nurse, laboratory technician,
   98  preceptor, or other employee of a licensed veterinarian who
   99  administers medication or who renders auxiliary or supporting
  100  assistance under the responsible supervision of a licensed
  101  veterinarian, including those tasks identified by rule of the
  102  board requiring immediate supervision. However, the licensed
  103  veterinarian is responsible for all such acts performed under
  104  this subsection by persons under her or his supervision.
  105         (8) A veterinarian, licensed by and actively practicing
  106  veterinary medicine in another state, who is board certified in
  107  a specialty recognized by the board and who responds to a
  108  request of a veterinarian licensed in this state to assist with
  109  the treatment on a specific case of a specific animal or with
  110  the treatment on a specific case of the animals of a single
  111  owner, as long as the veterinarian licensed in this state
  112  requests the other veterinarian’s presence. A veterinarian who
  113  practices under this subsection is not eligible to apply for a
  114  premises permit under s. 474.215.
  115  
  116  For the purposes of chapters 465 and 893, persons exempt
  117  pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2), or subsection (4)
  118  are deemed to be duly licensed practitioners authorized by the
  119  laws of this state to prescribe drugs or medicinal supplies.
  120         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.