Official Summary Text
SB1286 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
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PASSED BY ADD COW
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1286
veterinarian
visits; electronic means; prescriptions
Purpose
Modifies the
time periods that a veterinarian may issue and renew a prescription for outlined
drugs during an examination through electronic means.
Background
In 2023, the
Legislature authorized a veterinarian to establish a veterinarian client
patient relationship (VCPR) through electronic means if: 1) the veterinarian is
licensed or permitted in Arizona; 2) the veterinarian obtains informed consent
from the client, including an acknowledgement that the standards of care apply
to in-person visits and visits through electronic means and maintains
documentation of the consent for at least three years; 3) the veterinarian
provides the client with the veterinarian's name and contact information and
secures an alternate means of contacting the client if the electronic means is
interrupted; 4) the veterinarian, before the electronic evaluation, advises the
client on prescribed notifications; and 5) the veterinarian is able to
recommend the client to a local veterinarian who can see the animal in person
and the client has the option to choose an in-person visit.
A veterinarian
may prescribe drugs or medications after establishing a VCPR through electronic
means, except: 1) prescriptions based only on an electronic examination may be
initially issued for up to 14 days and may be renewed one time for up to 14
days with an additional electronic examination; 2) prescriptions based on only
electronic examinations and that has been renewed once may not be renewed again
without an in-person examination; 3) the veterinarian must notify the client
that some prescription drugs or medications may be available at a pharmacy and,
if requested, the veterinarian will submit a prescription the a pharmacy of the
clients choosing; 4) the veterinarian may not order, prescribe or make
available a controlled substance unless the veterinarian has performed an in-person
physical examination of the patient or made medically appropriate and timely
visits to the premises where the patient is kept; and 5) the veterinarian
prescribes all drugs and medications in accordance with federal and state laws (
Laws 2023; Ch. 124
;
A.R.S.
� 32-2240.03
).
There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1.
Extends, from 14 days to 30 days, the initial time period that a
veterinarian may prescribe
non-antimicrobial and non-flea and tick drugs through electronic means.
2.
Extends,
from 14 days to 30 days, the subsequent time period that a veterinarian may
renew a prescription of non-antimicrobial and non-flea and tick drugs through
electronic means.
3.
Allows,
for one period of up to 14 days, prescriptions for antimicrobial drugs to be
issued by a veterinarian through electronic means.
4.
Prohibits the veterinarian from issuing any further antimicrobial drug
prescriptions for the same animal patient for the same ongoing treatment of the
same condition unless a veterinarian performs an in-person examination of the
animal patient.
5.
Allows,
for a period of up to three months, veterinarian prescriptions for flea and
tick drugs to be initially issued and renewed one time through electronic
means.
6.
Makes
technical and conforming changes.
7.
Becomes
effective on the general effective date.
Amendments
Adopted by Committee
1.
Decreases,
from 60 days to 30 days, the initial and subsequent time period that a
veterinarian may prescribe and renew non-antimicrobial drugs through electronic
means.
2.
Allows,
for a period of up to 14 days, prescriptions for anti-microbial drugs to be
issued by a veterinarian through electronic means.
3.
Prohibits
the veterinarian from issuing any further antimicrobial drug prescriptions,
including any refills, for the same animal patient unless the veterinarian performs
an in-person examination of the animal patient.
4.
Makes
conforming changes.
Amendments
Adopted by Additional Committee of the Whole
1.
Specifies
that veterinarian prescriptions based on electronic means for non-tick and flea
drugs may be initially issued and renewed one time for a period of 30 days,
rather than 14 days.
2.
Clarifies
that a prescription for antimicrobial drugs based on an electronic examination
may be issued for only one period of up to 14 days.
3.
Specifies
that a veterinarian may not issue any further antimicrobial drug prescriptions
for the same animal patient for the same ongoing treatment of the same
condition unless a veterinarian performs an in-person examination.
4.
Allows,
for a period of up to three months, veterinarian prescriptions for flea and
tick drugs to be initially issued and renewed one time through electronic
means.
5.
Makes
conforming changes.
Senate Action
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Prepared by Senate Research
March 16, 2026
JT/NRG/ci
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
Chapter 0167 - 572R - S Ver of SB1286
Senate Engrossed
veterinarian visits;
electronic means; prescriptions
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
CHAPTER 167
SENATE BILL 1286
AN
ACT
Amending section 32-2240.03, Arizona
Revised Statutes; relating to veterinarians.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 32-2240.03, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE
32-2240.03.
Veterinarian client patient relationship through electronic
means; consent; prescriptions; scope of practice
A. Notwithstanding any other law and except for an
animal that is used in commercial food production that is regulated under title
3, a veterinarian may establish a veterinarian client patient relationship
through electronic means if all of the following apply:
1. The veterinarian is licensed pursuant to this
chapter or holds a permit pursuant to section 32-2217.01.
2. The veterinarian obtains informed consent from
the client, including an acknowledgement that the standards of care prescribed
by this chapter apply to in-person visits and visits through electronic
means. The veterinarian shall maintain for at least three years documentation
of the consent described in this paragraph.
3. The veterinarian provides the client with the
veterinarian's name and contact information and secures an alternate means of
contacting the client if the electronic means is interrupted. The
electronic or written record provided to the client after the
telemedicine
visit
through electronic means
must include the
veterinarian's license number.
4. Before conducting an evaluation of the patient
through electronic means, the veterinarian advises the client of all of the
following:
(a) The veterinarian may ultimately recommend an
in-person visit.
(b) The veterinarian is prohibited by federal law
from prescribing some drugs or medications based only on an electronic
examination.
(c) The appointment through electronic means may be
terminated at any time.
5. The veterinarian is able to recommend the client
to a local veterinarian who can see the animal in person. The client
has the option to choose an in-person visit.
B. A veterinarian may prescribe drugs or medications
after establishing a
veterinary
veterinarian
client patient relationship through electronic means,
except that:
1. Prescriptions based only on an electronic
examination
for non-antimicrobial drugs
and non-flea and tick drugs
may be initially issued for
up to
fourteen
thirty
days and may
be renewed one time for up to
fourteen
thirty
days with an additional electronic examination.
2. Prescriptions based only on an
electronic examination for antimicrobial drugs may be issued only for one
PERIOD of up to fourteen days of treatment. The VETERINARIAN may not
issue any further ANTIMICROBIAL drug PRESCRIPTIONs for the same animal patient
for the same ongoing treatment of the same condition unless a veterinarian
performs an in-person EXAMINATION of the animal patient.
3. Prescriptions based only on an
electronic examination for flea and tick drugs may be initially issued for up
to three months and may be renewed one time for a period of up to three months.
2.
4.
Prescriptions
based only on electronic examinations and that have been renewed once may not
be renewed again without an in-person examination.
3.
5.
The
veterinarian must notify the client that some prescription drugs or medications
may be available at a pharmacy and, if requested, the veterinarian will submit
a prescription to a pharmacy that the client chooses.
4.
6.
The
veterinarian may not order, prescribe or make available a controlled substance
as defined in section 36-2501 unless the veterinarian has performed an in-person
physical examination of the patient or made medically appropriate and timely
visits to the premises where the patient is kept.
5.
7.
The
veterinarian shall prescribe all drugs and medications in accordance with all
federal and state laws.
C. Veterinarian services provided through electronic
means are subject to the rules adopted pursuant to section 32-2275
relating to the practice of veterinary medicine.
END_STATUTE
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR JUNE 19, 2026.
FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE JUNE 22, 2026.