Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 1708
By
Senator Gaetz
1-00917-26 20261708__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to veterinary licensure; amending s.
3 474.217, F.S.; deleting the requirement for an
4 applicant for licensure by endorsement to have held a
5 valid active license to practice veterinary medicine
6 in another state, the District of Columbia, or a
7 territory of the United States for a specified amount
8 of time; requiring applicants to hold a valid, active
9 license in good standing to practice veterinary
10 medicine in another state, the District of Columbia,
11 or a territory of the United States; reenacting s.
12 474.2125(1), F.S., related to temporary license to
13 provide veterinary services, to incorporate the
14 amendment made to s. 474.217, F.S., in a reference
15 thereto; providing an effective date.
16
17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19 Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 474.217, Florida
20 Statutes, is amended to read:
21 474.217 Licensure by endorsement.—
22 (1) The department shall issue a license by endorsement to
23 any applicant who, upon applying to the department and remitting
24 a fee set by the board, demonstrates to the board that she or
25 he:
26 (a) Has demonstrated, in a manner designated by rule of the
27 board, knowledge of the laws and rules governing the practice of
28 veterinary medicine in this state; and
29 (b)1. Holds
, and has held for the 3 years immediately
30
preceding the application for licensure,
a valid, active license
31
in good standing
to practice veterinary medicine in another
32 state of the United States, the District of Columbia, or a
33 territory of the United States, provided that the applicant has
34 successfully completed a state, regional, national, or other
35 examination that is equivalent to or more stringent than the
36 examination required by the board; or
37 2. Meets the qualifications of s. 474.207(2)(b) and has
38 successfully completed a state, regional, national, or other
39 examination which is equivalent to or more stringent than the
40 examination given by the department and has passed the board’s
41 clinical competency examination or another clinical competency
42 examination specified by rule of the board.
43 Section 2. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
44 made by this act to section 474.217, Florida Statutes, in a
45 reference thereto, subsection (1) of section 474.2125, Florida
46 Statutes, is reenacted to read:
47 474.2125 Temporary license.—
48 (1) The board shall adopt rules providing for the issuance
49 of a temporary license to a licensed veterinarian of another
50 state for the purpose of enabling her or him to provide
51 veterinary medical services in this state for the animals of a
52 specific owner or, as may be needed in an emergency as defined
53 in s. 252.34(4), for the animals of multiple owners, provided
54 the applicant would qualify for licensure by endorsement under
55 s. 474.217. No temporary license shall be valid for more than 30
56 days after its issuance, and no license shall cover more than
57 the treatment of the animals of one owner except in an emergency
58 as defined in s. 252.34(4). After the expiration of 30 days, a
59 new license is required.
60 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.