HOUSE . . . . . . . No. 4912
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, July 25, 2024.
The committee on Ways and Means, to whom was referred the Bill regulating the practice and licensure of veterinary technicians (House, No. 332), reports recommending that the same ought to pass with an amendment substituting therefor the accompanying bill (House, No. 4912).
For the committee,
AARON MICHLEWITZ.
FILED ON: 7/25/2024
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4912
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act regulating the practice and licensure of veterinary technicians.
Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to forthwith regulate the practice and licensure of veterinary technicians, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 13 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 26 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 26. (a) There shall be a board of registration in veterinary medicine, in sections 27 and 28 called the board, consisting of 4 veterinarians, 3 licensed veterinary technicians, as defined in section 54A of chapter 112, selected from a list of nominees provided by the Massachusetts Veterinary Technician Association, and 2 representatives of the public, subject to section 9B. Each member shall be appointed by the governor. Each member of the board shall be a legal resident of the commonwealth. Each veterinarian member of the board shall be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the commonwealth, a graduate of a school or college teaching veterinary medicine and approved by the approving authority and shall have had at least 5 years’ experience in the active practice of veterinary medicine, surgery and dentistry prior to their appointment. Each licensed veterinary technician member shall be licensed in accordance with with section 56F of chapter 112. No member shall be a member of any faculty in any institution having the power to confer degrees in veterinary medicine. One member thereof shall annually before December first be appointed by the governor, for 5 years from January first following. No member appointed to a full 5-year term shall be reappointed to succeed themself.
SECTION 2. Section 54A of chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, after the definition of “Board”, the following definition:-
“Licensed veterinary technician”, a graduate of an American Veterinary Medical Association accredited program in veterinary technology or veterinary nursing who has achieved a passing score on an approved licensing exam as determined by the board and is licensed in the commonwealth.
SECTION 3. Said section 54A of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting, after the definition of “Veterinarian”, the following definition:-
“Veterinary assistant”, an individual working as part of a veterinary healthcare team who is not a licensed veterinary technician.
SECTION 4. Said section 54A of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following definition:-
“Veterinary technology”, the performance of services within the field of veterinary medicine by a licensed veterinary technician who is employed by or under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian to perform such duties as are required in carrying out medical orders as prescribed by a licensed veterinarian.
SECTION 5. Said chapter 112 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 56E the following section:-
Section 56F. (a)(1) An individual shall be licensed as a veterinary technician, by the board, to practice veterinary technology. Only those individuals who are licensed shall utilize the title of veterinary technician. No person shall hold themself out as a licensed veterinary technician or as being able to practice veterinary technology in the commonwealth unless licensed in accordance with this section; provided, that any individual or veterinary practice in violation of this subsection may be subject to fines as established by the board.
(2) Veterinary technician students, or other individuals deemed appropriate by the board, working under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian or a licensed veterinary technician may engage in activities necessary to learn and practice supervised techniques on patients.
(b)(1) The board shall promulgate rules and regulations by which veterinary technicians shall be licensed and registered in the commonwealth. The board may recommend the suspension or revocation of a veterinary technician’s license for failure to abide by the laws of the commonwealth or regulations promulgated by the board.
(2) The regulations shall: (i) delineate the duties which supervising, licensed veterinarians may assign to licensed veterinary technicians and to non-licensed veterinary assistants; (ii) address the maintenance, suspension and revocation of licenses; (iii) provide for continuing education requirements for licensed veterinary technicians; (iv) determine the criteria by which an individual shall be deemed a licensed veterinary technician or a veterinary assistant; and (v) establish guidance for students working under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian or licensed veterinarian technician pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (a).
(c) This section shall not apply to: (i) a research institution as defined in section 136A of chapter 140; or (ii) special cases, including zoos and aquaria, diagnostic facilities, licensed wildlife rehabilitation facilities and any other such special cases as the subsidiary board shall identify.
SECTION 6. Notwithstanding section 26 of chapter 13 of the General Laws, or any other general or special law to the contrary, the initial appointments of veterinary technicians to the board of registration in veterinary medicine shall be Massachusetts Veterinary Technician Association certified veterinary technicians and said initial veterinary technician appointees shall be appointed for 3-year terms.
SECTION 7. The board of registration in veterinary medicine shall promulgate regulations pursuant to section 56F of chapter 112 of the General Laws, inserted by section 5, not later than 180 days after the effective date of this act.
SECTION 8. Not later than 180 days after the effective date of this act, the board of registration in veterinary medicine shall provide information to veterinarians, veterinary practices and animal hospitals regarding the differences in the duties and actions allowed for by licensed veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants as promulgated under regulations pursuant to section 56F of chapter 112 of the General Laws, inserted by section 5.
SECTION 9. The board of registration in veterinary medicine shall issue temporary licenses for individuals practicing veterinary technology and shall promulgate regulations for the temporary licensure of individuals practicing veterinary technology within 180 days of the effective date of this act.
SECTION 10. All individuals practicing veterinary medicine technology required to be licensed pursuant to section 56F of chapter 112 of the General Laws, inserted by section 5, shall be licensed not later than July 1, 2030.