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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
SENATE BILL 2140 By: Woods
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to veterinary medicine; defining
terms; authorizing the use of telemedicine in
veterinarian care; establishing requirements for
utilization of telemedicine; requiring State Board of
Veterinary Medical Examiners to promulgate rules;
providing for codification; and providing an
effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 698.30f of Title 59, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
As used in this act:
1. “Animal” means any animal other than humans and includes,
but is not limited to, fowl, fish, birds, and reptiles, wild or
domestic, living or dead;
2. “Telemedicine” means the practice of veterinary medicine
using electronic communications, information technology, or other
means of interaction between a licensed veterinarian and an animal
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owner or caretaker when the veterinarian and the animal are not in
the same physical location; and
3. “Veterinarian-client-patient relationship” (VCPR) means the
relationship defined in Section 698.2 of Title 59 of the Oklahoma
Statutes and veterinary board rules, which may be established
through telemedicine under the conditions set forth in this act.
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 698.30g of Title 59, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. Telemedicine may be used by licensed veterinarians to
evaluate, diagnose, and provide personalized treatment
recommendations for animals when an in-person examination is not
immediately feasible, provided that the:
1. Condition of the animal requires timely veterinary attention
to prevent death, serious harm, or unnecessary suffering;
2. Use of telemedicine is limited to cases where visual or
verbal communication with the owner or caretaker provides sufficient
information for the veterinarian to make a professional judgment;
3. Veterinarian obtains sufficient information to make an
informed clinical decision through live videos, photographs,
electronic records, or other approved telecommunication methods; and
4. Telemedicine encounter is documented in the patient’s
medical record in the same manner as an in-person consultation.
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B. Telemedicine shall not be used as a substitute for annual
exams, vaccinations, or other procedures requiring physical
presence, unless approved by the State Board of Veterinary Medical
Examiners.
C. The State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners shall
promulgate rules and regulations establishing:
1. Standards for the appropriate use of telemedicine in animal
care;
2. Requirements for recordkeeping and confidentiality of
telemedicine encounters;
3. Training for certification standards for veterinarians
utilizing telemedicine; and
4. Limitations on prescribing medications through telemedicine
without a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) or an in-
person examination, except in emergency cases where immediate
treatment is necessary in order to preserve animal health and
welfare.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
60-2-2993 YG 1/15/2026 1:31:01 PM