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CS/HB 805 2026
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to veterinary medicine; providing a 2
short title; amending s. 474.201, F.S.; revising 3
legislative findings, intent, and purpose; amending s. 4
474.202, F.S.; defining the term "veterinary 5
professional associate"; amending s. 474.2021, F.S.; 6
increasing the amount of time for which prescriptions 7
based solely on a veterinary telehealth evaluation may 8
be issued for certain drugs; amending s. 474.203, 9
F.S.; revising the applicability of certain 10
exemptions; creating s. 474.2126, F.S.; providing 11
requirements for veterinary professional associates to 12
receive certificates of registration from the 13
Department of Business and Professional Regulation; 14
requiring the department to make a list of veterinary 15
professional associate registrants publicly available 16
on its website; authorizing the department to suspend 17
the registration of a veterinary professional 18
associate upon a certain determination by the Board of 19
Veterinary Medicine; authorizing the department to 20
rescind the registration of a veterinary professional 21
associate under certain circumstances; prohibiting a 22
person from holding himself or herself out as a 23
veterinary professional associate under certain 24
circumstances; authorizing a registered veterinary 25
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professional associate to engage in the practice of 26
veterinary medicine under certain circumstances; 27
prohibiting a registered veterinary professional 28
associate from taking certain actions; providing 29
exceptions; amending s. 828.30, F.S.; conforming 30
provisions to changes made by the act; providing an 31
effective date. 32
33
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 34
35
Section 1. This act may be cited as the "Veterinary 36
Workforce Innovation Act." 37
Section 2. Section 474.201, Florida Statutes, is amended 38
to read: 39
474.201 Legislative findings, intent, and purpose.— 40
(1) The Legislature finds that the practice of veterinary 41
medicine is potentially dangerous to the public health and 42
safety if conducted by incompetent and unlicensed practitioners. 43
The legislative purpose in enacting this chapter is to ensure 44
that every veterinarian practicing in this state meet minimum 45
requirements for safe practice. It is the legislative intent 46
that veterinarians who are not normally competent or who 47
otherwise present a danger to the public shall be disciplined or 48
prohibited from practicing in this state. 49
(2) The Legislature finds that the practice of educated, 50
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trained, and experienced veterinary professional associates will 51
increase consumer access to high-quality veterinary medical 52
services at a reasonable cost to consumers, while also 53
increasing the efficiency of the practice of veterinary medicine 54
in this state. 55
Section 3. Present subsection (14) of section 474.202, 56
Florida Statutes, is redesignated as subsection (15), and a new 57
subsection (14) is added to that section, to read: 58
474.202 Definitions.—As used in this chapter: 59
(14) "Veterinary professional associate" means an 60
individual who has graduated with a master's degree or the 61
equivalent in veterinary clinical care from an accredited 62
institution and who meets the requirements to be registered by 63
the department. 64
Section 4. Subsection (4) of section 474.2021, Florida 65
Statutes, is amended to read: 66
474.2021 Veterinary telehealth.— 67
(4) A veterinarian practicing veterinary telehealth: 68
(a) May not engage in the practice of veterinary 69
telehealth unless it is within the context of a 70
veterinarian/client/patient relationship; 71
(b) Shall practice in a manner consistent with his or her 72
scope of practice and the prevailing professional standard of 73
practice for a veterinarian who provides in-person veterinary 74
services to patients in this state and shall employ sound, 75
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professional judgment to determine whether using veterinary 76
telehealth is an appropriate method for delivering medical 77
advice or treatment to the patient; 78
(c) May use veterinary telehealth to perform an initial 79
patient evaluation to establish the veterinarian/client/patient 80
relationship if the evaluation is conducted using synchronous, 81
audiovisual communication. The evaluation may not be performed 82
using audio-only communications, text messaging, questionnaires, 83
chatbots, or other similar means. If a veterinarian practicing 84
telehealth conducts a patient evaluation sufficient to diagnose 85
and treat the patient, the veterinarian is not required to 86
research a patient's medical history or conduct a physical 87
examination of the patient before using veterinary telehealth to 88
provide a veterinary health care service to the patient; 89
(d) If the initial patient evaluation is performed using 90
veterinary telehealth, must provide the client with a statement 91
containing the veterinarian's name, license number, and contact 92
information and the contact information for at least one 93
physical veterinary clinic in the vicinity of the patient's 94
location and instructions for how to receive patient follow-up 95
care or assistance if the veterinarian and client are unable to 96
communicate because of a technological or equipment failure or 97
if there is an adverse reaction to treatment, and inform the 98
client that, if medication is prescribed, the client may obtain 99
a prescription that may be filled at the pharmacy of his or her 100
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choice. The veterinarian shall obtain from the client a signed 101
and dated statement indicating the client has received the 102
required information before practicing veterinary telehealth; 103
(e) Shall prescribe all drugs and medications in 104
accordance with all federal and state laws and the following 105
requirements: 106
1. A veterinarian practicing veterinary telehealth may 107
order, prescribe, or make available medicinal drugs or drugs 108
specifically approved for use in animals by the United States 109
Food and Drug Administration, the use of which conforms to the 110
approved labeling. Prescriptions based solely on a telehealth 111
evaluation may be issued for up to 6 months 1 month for products 112
labeled solely for flea and tick control and up to 30 14 days of 113
treatment for other animal drugs. Prescriptions based solely on 114
a telehealth evaluation may not be renewed without an in-person 115
examination. 116
2. A veterinarian practicing veterinary telehealth may not 117
order, prescribe, or make available medicinal drugs or drugs as 118
defined in s. 465.003 approved by the United States Food and 119
Drug Administration for human use or compounded antibacterial, 120
antifungal, antiviral, or antiparasitic medications, unless the 121
veterinarian has conducted an in-person physical examination of 122
the animal or made medically appropriate and timely visits to 123
the premises where the animal is kept. 124
3. A veterinarian may not use veterinary telehealth to 125
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prescribe a controlled substance as defined in chapter 893 126
unless the veterinarian has conducted an in-person physical 127
examination of the animal or made medically appropriate and 128
timely visits within the past year to the premises where the 129
animal is kept. 130
4. A veterinarian practicing veterinary telehealth may not 131
prescribe a drug or other medication for use on a horse engaged 132
in racing or training at a facility under the jurisdiction of 133
the Florida Gaming Control Commission or on a horse that is a 134
covered horse as defined in the federal Horseracing Integrity 135
and Safety Act, 15 U.S.C. ss. 3051 et seq.; 136
(f) Shall be familiar with available veterinary resources, 137
including emergency resources, near the patient's location and 138
be able to provide the client with a list of nearby 139
veterinarians who may be able to see the patient in person upon 140
the request of the client; 141
(g) Shall keep, maintain, and make available a summary of 142
the patient record as provided in s. 474.2165; and 143
(h) May not use veterinary telehealth to issue an 144
international or interstate travel certificate or a certificate 145
of veterinary inspection. 146
Section 5. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) and subsection 147
(7) of section 474.203, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 148
474.203 Exemptions.—This chapter does not apply to: 149
(5)(a) Any person, or the person's regular employee, 150
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administering to the ills or injuries of her or his own animals, 151
including, but not limited to, castration, spaying, and 152
dehorning of herd animals, unless title is transferred or 153
employment provided for the purpose of circumventing this law. 154
This exemption does not apply to any person licensed as a 155
veterinarian in another state or foreign jurisdiction and 156
practicing temporarily in this state. However, except as 157
provided in s. 474.2126 or s. 828.30, only a veterinarian may 158
immunize or treat an animal for diseases that are communicable 159
to humans and that are of public health significance. 160
(7) Any veterinary aide, nurse, laboratory technician, 161
preceptor, person registered pursuant to s. 474.2126, or other 162
employee of a licensed veterinarian who administers medication 163
or who renders auxiliary or supporting assistance under the 164
responsible supervision of a licensed veterinarian, including 165
those tasks identified by rule of the board requiring immediate 166
supervision, provided that a registered veterinary professional 167
associate is subject to s. 474.2126. However, the licensed 168
veterinarian is responsible for all such acts performed under 169
this subsection by persons under her or his supervision. 170
171
For the purposes of chapters 465 and 893, persons exempt 172
pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2), or subsection (4) 173
are deemed to be duly licensed practitioners authorized by the 174
laws of this state to prescribe drugs or medicinal supplies. 175
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Section 6. Section 474.2126, Florida Statutes, is created 176
to read: 177
474.2126 Veterinary professional associates; 178
registration.— 179
(1) REGISTRATION.— 180
(a) A veterinary professional associate may apply to the 181
department for registration by submitting a form prescribed by 182
the board. The department shall consider for registration each 183
qualified veterinary professional associate who the department 184
verifies has submitted a completed application and meets the 185
applicable requirements of this subsection. 186
(b) The department shall issue a certificate of 187
registration to each veterinary professional associate applicant 188
who the department verifies has graduated from the relevant 189
accredited program and received a passing score on the relevant 190
professional national competency examination approved by the 191
board. 192
(c) The department shall make a list of registrants 193
available to the public on the department's website. 194
(d) The department may suspend the registration of any 195
veterinary professional associate who the board determines has 196
caused serious harm to an animal due to negligence, 197
incompetence, or misconduct related to duties performed under 198
this section and in a manner inconsistent with the supervising 199
veterinarian's specific direction, until such time as the 200
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registrant has completed remedial training or education directed 201
by the board. 202
(e) The department may rescind the registration of any 203
veterinary professional associate who is convicted of animal 204
cruelty under s. 828.12 or animal fighting under s. 828.122. 205
(2) PROHIBITION.—An individual may not hold himself or 206
herself out as a registered veterinary professional associate or 207
in any other way represent himself or herself as a veterinary 208
professional associate unless he or she has a valid certificate 209
of registration from the department. 210
(3) DUTIES AND ACTIONS OF A REGISTERED VETERINARY 211
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATE.— 212
(a) Unless otherwise prohibited by federal law, a 213
registered veterinary professional associate may engage in the 214
practice of veterinary medicine as defined in s. 474.202 or 215
veterinary medicine as defined in s. 474.202, to the extent that 216
he or she is competent and has the necessary training, current 217
knowledge, and experience to provide such care, as delegated 218
under the responsible supervision, as defined in s. 474.202, of 219
a licensed veterinarian. 220
(b) A registered veterinary professional associate may not 221
do any of the following: 222
1. Prescribe a controlled substance listed in s. 893.03, 223
except that a registered veterinary professional associate may 224
perform humane euthanasia and prepare, log, and administer 225
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controlled substances for the purpose of analgesia, anesthesia, 226
or humane euthanasia, as delegated by a licensed veterinarian 227
and performed under responsible supervision. 228
2. Perform a surgical procedure, except that a veterinary 229
professional associate may perform the following surgical 230
procedures: 231
a. Orchiectomy; 232
b. Veterinary dental surgery; or 233
c. Veterinary suturing or stapling of skin lacerations, 234
gingival incisions, or existing surgical incisions. 235
Section 7. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) and subsection 236
(3) of section 828.30, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 237
828.30 Rabies vaccination of dogs, cats, and ferrets.— 238
(1)(a) All dogs, cats, and ferrets 4 months of age or 239
older must be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian or a person 240
authorized under paragraph (b) or s. 474.2126 against rabies 241
with a vaccine that is licensed by the United States Department 242
of Agriculture for use in those species. 243
(3) Upon vaccination against rabies, the licensed 244
veterinarian shall provide the animal's owner and the animal 245
control authority with a rabies vaccination certificate. Each 246
animal control authority and veterinarian shall use the "Rabies 247
Vaccination Certificate" of the National Association of State 248
Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) or an equivalent form 249
approved by the local government that contains all the 250
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information required by the NASPHV Rabies Vaccination 251
Certificate. The veterinarian who administers the rabies 252
vaccination or who supervises the administration of the rabies 253
vaccination as provided in paragraph (1)(b) or s. 474.2126 to an 254
animal as authorized under this section may affix his or her 255
signature stamp in lieu of an actual signature. 256
Section 8. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027. 257