AMEND NC VETERINARY PRACTICE ACT.

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View NCGA Bill Details2019-2020 Session
Senate Bill 604 (Public) Filed Wednesday, April 3, 2019
AN ACT TO REGULATE IMPAIRMENT IN VETERINARY PRACTICE, ALLOW VETERINARY FACILITY PERMITTING, AND MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
Intro. by Rabon.

Status: Ch. SL 2019-170 (Jul 26 2019)

Bill History:

S 604/S.L. 2019-170

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Jul 29 2019 - View Summary

    AN ACT TO REGULATE IMPAIRMENT IN VETERINARY PRACTICE, ALLOW VETERINARY FACILITY PERMITTING, AND MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS. SL 2019-170. Enacted July 26, 2019. Sections 5 and 6 are effective 60 days after the date the rules adopted pursuant to Section 4 of this act become effective. The remainder is effective July 26, 2019.


  • Summary date: Jun 25 2019 - View Summary

    House committee substitute adds the following to the 3rd edition.

    Further amends GS 90-186, adding to the powers of the NC Veterinary Medical Board (Board), to allow the Board to, pursuant to administrative rule, establish all provisions and requirements for the regulation of the practice of veterinary medicine through methods or modes of veterinary telehealth and its subcategories. Allows the Board to establish all provisions and requirements as to when and where veterinary telehealth and its subcategories can occur, who may provide the services, and the requirements for the client-patient relationship for the services. Makes conforming changes. 


  • Summary date: May 7 2019 - View Summary

    Senate amendment #1 adds the following to the 2nd edition.

    Enacts GS 90-187.16 to authorize licensed veterinarians to practice veterinary medicine, including surgery and invasive procedures, at an animal shelter registered with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) so long as the practice is consistent with relevant DACS rules. Makes conforming organizational changes to the act.


  • Summary date: May 2 2019 - View Summary

    Senate committee substitute to the 1st edition makes the following changes.

    Adds the following. Amends GS 90-187.10 by providing that Article 11 (Veterinarians) does not prohibit a person from administering to food animals or to animals maintained for the produce of food or fiber; administering first aid (not including surgical or invasive procedures) to companion animals in emergency situations; or administering routine disease prevention pharmaceuticals to companion animals, so long as the animals are owned by the person or their employer.

    Adds the requirement that the Veterinary Medical Board adopt rules to implement the changes to GS 90-186 that allowed the Board to establish requirements for a veterinary facility permit and requirements for a supervising veterinarian for each facility maintaining a valid veterinary facility permit.

    Makes organizational changes.

    Amends the act's effective date, which was October 1, 2019, and now makes changes effective when the act becomes law with changes to GS 90-181.1, GS 90-816 (except those described above), GS 90-187.10, the repeal of GS 90-187.11, and changes to GS 90-187.12 effective 60 days after the adoption of the required rules. 


  • Summary date: Apr 8 2019 - View Summary

    Part I.

    Amends GS 90-181 by adding and defining the term impairment, for use in Article 11 (Veterinarians). Amends the grounds for disciplinary action under GS 90-187.8 so that one ground includes the impairment of an individual holding a license or registration when the impairment (now defined to include more causes of impairment than previously listed in the statute) interferes with that individual's ability to practice within the scope of the license or registration with reasonable skill and safety, and in a manner not harmful to the public or to animals under the individual's care. 

    Part II.

    Amends GS 90-181, by amending the term person, as it is used in Article 11 (Veterinarians) to include entities. Amends GS 90-181.1, concerning facility names and levels of service, to refer to veterinary facilities instead of veterinary practice facilities. Amends GS 90-186, concerning the powers of the North Carolina Veterinary Medical Board (Board), to refer to veterinary facilities instead of veterinary practice facilities. 

    Amends GS 90-486 by adding that the Board may also (1) pursuant to administrative rule, establish all provisions and requirements for a veterinary facility permit, the issuance of which is required for any facility where veterinary medicine is practiced, except for those facilities exempted by law and (2) pursuant to administrative rule, establish all provisions and requirements for a supervising veterinarian for each veterinary facility maintaining a valid veterinary facility permit.

    Amends GS 90-187.10 by removing the current provisions and instead prohibiting engaging in veterinary medicine without a veterinary license and prohibiting owning a veterinary facility without a veterinary facility permit. 

    Repeals GS 90-187.11, which allowed conducting a veterinary medical practice as a sole proprietorship, by a partnership, or by a duly registered professional corporation, and required all partners to be licensed.

    Amends GS 90-187.12, which makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor to take the prohibited actions by no longer making each act of the unlawful practice a distinct and separate offense. Makes additional clarifying changes.

    The act applies to permits and licenses granted on or after October 1, 2019, unless otherwise indicated.