Resolved, there shall be established, pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws, a special commission for the purposes of a study relative to the efficacy and safety of amending the commonwealth’s rabies vaccine laws pursuant to section 145B of chapter 140 of the General Laws to exempt certain pets with illness who display a sufficient level of rabies antibodies from receiving a rabies vaccine.

The members of the special commission shall consist of: (i) the chairs of the joint committee on public health or their designees, who shall serve as co-chairs; (ii) the commissioner of the department of public health or their designee; (iii) the commissioner of the division of occupational licensure or their designee; and (iv) the 5 members of the board of registration in veterinary medicine pursuant to section 26 of chapter 13 of the General Laws.

The special commission shall determine the safety and efficacy of: (i) administering the rabies vaccines to animals with an illness subject to section 145B of chapter 140 of the General Laws; and (ii) amending the commonwealth’s rabies vaccine laws to create an exemption for animals with an illness whereby a rabies titer test would be used to determine if the animal’s rabies antibody levels are high enough to be deemed sufficiently immune and therefore able to forego a rabies vaccine.

All appointments to the special commission shall be made not later than 30 days after the effective date of this resolve.

The special commission shall prepare a report detailing the results of the study, along with its findings and any recommendations for legislation. The report shall be submitted to the clerks of the house of representatives and senate not later than January 1, 2027.