Florida Senate - 2024                                    SB 1038
       
       
        
       By Senator Bradley
       
       
       
       
       
       6-01686A-24                                           20241038__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to veterinary professional associates;
    3         providing a short title; creating s. 474.2126, F.S.;
    4         providing legislative findings; defining terms;
    5         authorizing certain individuals to use the title
    6         “veterinary professional associate”; authorizing such
    7         associates to perform certain duties and actions;
    8         prohibiting such associates from prescribing certain
    9         drugs or controlled substances or performing surgical
   10         procedures; providing exceptions; providing that
   11         supervising veterinarians are liable for the acts or
   12         omissions of veterinary professional associates under
   13         their supervision and control; providing an effective
   14         date.
   15          
   16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   17  
   18         Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Veterinary
   19  Workforce Innovation Act.”
   20         Section 2. Section 474.2126, Florida Statutes, is created
   21  to read:
   22         474.2126 Veterinary professional associate.—
   23         (1) The Legislature finds that the practice in this state
   24  of veterinary professional associates, with their education,
   25  training, and experience in the field of veterinary medicine,
   26  will provide increased efficiency of and access to high-quality
   27  veterinary medical services at a reasonable cost to consumers.
   28         (2) As used in this section, the term:
   29         (a) “Approved program” means a master’s program in
   30  veterinary clinical care, or the equivalent, in the United
   31  States or in its territories or possessions from an accredited
   32  school of veterinary medicine.
   33         (b) “Supervision” means responsible supervision and
   34  control, and, except in cases of emergency, requires the easy
   35  availability or physical presence of a licensed veterinarian for
   36  consultation and direction of the actions of a veterinary
   37  professional associate. For the purposes of this paragraph, the
   38  term “easy availability” includes the ability to communicate by
   39  way of telecommunication.
   40         (c) “Veterinary professional associate” means a person who
   41  has earned a master’s degree from an approved program or who
   42  meets standards approved by the board and is authorized to
   43  perform veterinary medical services delegated by a supervising
   44  veterinarian.
   45         (3) The title “veterinary professional associate” may be
   46  used only by an individual who has successfully completed an
   47  approved program.
   48         (4) Unless otherwise prohibited by federal or state law, a
   49  veterinary professional associate may perform duties or actions,
   50  including those identified in s. 474.202(9) and (13), in which
   51  he or she is competent and has the necessary training, current
   52  knowledge, and experience to perform, as assigned by a
   53  veterinarian licensed in this state while working under the
   54  supervision of that veterinarian. A veterinary professional
   55  associate may not do either of the following:
   56         (a) Prescribe medicinal drugs or drugs as defined in s.
   57  465.003(15) or a controlled substance listed in s. 893.03.
   58         (b) Except for veterinary sterilizations or veterinary
   59  dental surgeries, perform a surgical procedure.
   60         (5) Each supervising veterinarian using a veterinary
   61  professional associate is liable for any acts or omissions of
   62  the veterinary professional associate acting under the
   63  veterinarian’s supervision and control.
   64         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.