AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO VETERINARY MEDICINE.

This Act does all of the following: (1) Adds a requirement that, in order for a veterinarian to practice veterinary medicine, a relationship among the veterinarian, the client, and the patient must be established and maintained. The majority of states mandate the existence of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship as a prerequisite to treating an animal and such requirement is critical to the health of animals. This requirement is also consistent with Food and Drug Administration standards. (2) Adds a licensure exemption for veterinarians and veterinary technicians who want to practice in Delaware in connection with a State emergency. (3) Strikes a provision that allows issuance of a temporary permit to practice veterinary medicine to an individual who has not passed the licensing examination and also requires compliance with reciprocity requirements. These two requirements, taken together, cannot be met, and consequently, the section is very confusing and misleading. Temporary licenses will still be available for veterinarians where the applicant is either being considered for licensure under the reciprocity provision or is eligible to take the licensure examination. (4) Strikes the 7 year grandfathering provision, which was adopted when the Board first began to license veterinary technicians, and which is now expired. (5) Allows veterinary technicians to obtain temporary licenses pending passing of the licensure examination. (6) Gives the Board the authority to impose monetary penalties on licensees who are found to have committed regulatory or statutory violations. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. This Act comes from the Division of Professional Regulation and has been approved by the Board of Veterinary Medicine.