AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- VETERINARY PRACTICE (Authorizes veterinarians to establish a client-patient relationship through electronic means, subject to limitations and requirements such as Vet making a good faith effort to determine if care should be provided through telemedicine instead of in person.)

H7020

2026 -- H 7020
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- VETERINARY PRACTICE

Introduced By:
Representatives J. Brien, Solomon, Baginski, Serpa, and Lima

Date Introduced:
January 09, 2026

Referred To:
House Corporations
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 5-25-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-25 entitled "Veterinary
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Practice" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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5-25-2. Definitions.
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As used in this chapter:
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(1) “Animal” means any animal other than humans and includes, by way of illustration,
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not limitation, fowl, birds, fish, livestock, and reptiles, wild or domestic, living or dead.
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(2) “Department” means the Rhode Island department of health.
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(3) “Director” means the director of the Rhode Island department of health.
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(4) “Division” means the division of professional regulation within the department of
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health established in chapter 26 of this title.
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(5) “Veterinarian” means a person who
practices

is licensed to practice
veterinary medicine
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in the State of Rhode Island
.
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(6) “Veterinarian/client/patient relationship” means a relationship where all of the
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following conditions have been met:
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(i) The veterinarian has assumed the responsibility for making medical judgments
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regarding the health of the animal or animals and the need for medical treatment, and the client has
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agreed to follow the instructions of the veterinarian;
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(ii) The veterinarian has sufficient knowledge of the animal or animals to initiate at least a
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general or preliminary (e.g. tentative) diagnosis of the medical condition of the animal or animals.

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This means that the veterinarian has recently seen and is personally acquainted with the keeping
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and care of the animal or animals, and/or by medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises
3
where the animal or animals are kept
, or obtained current knowledge of the animal through a video-
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based telecommunication medium, subject to the limitations and requirements of § 5-25-18
;
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(iii) The veterinarian is readily available for follow-up in cases of adverse reactions or
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failure of the regimen of therapy; and
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(iv) The veterinarian maintains records that document patient visits, diagnosis, treatment,
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and other relevant information.
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(7) “Veterinary dentistry” means that part of veterinary science that deals with the
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prevention and treatment of diseases, developmental conditions, and injuries of the teeth, gums,
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and oral cavity in animals.
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SECTION 2. Chapter 5-25 of the General Laws entitled "Veterinary Practice" is hereby
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amended by adding thereto the following section:
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5-25-18. Veterinary telemedicine client-patient relationship.

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(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, regulation or rule to the contrary, a
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veterinarian may establish a client-patient relationship in Rhode Island through synchronous,
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audiovisual electronic means, subject to the limitations and requirements set forth in subsection (b)
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of this section.
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(b) Before establishing a veterinarian client-patient relationship through electronic means,
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a veterinarian shall:
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(1) Be licensed to practice veterinary medicine pursuant to this chapter;
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(2) Obtain from the client verbal consent to establish the veterinarian client-patient
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relationship through electronic means, including an acknowledgement that the same standards of
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care under state law and regulations apply to telehealth and in-person visits; and
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(3) Maintain such documentation for at least one year.
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(c) A veterinarian shall practice in a manner consistent with the prevailing professional
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standard of practice for a veterinarian who provides in-person veterinary services to patients in this
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state and shall employ sound professional judgment to determine whether using veterinary
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telehealth is an appropriate method for delivering medical advice or treatment to the patient.
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(d) Veterinarians may prescribe after establishing a virtual veterinary client-patient
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relationship under the following conditions·
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(1) Prescriptions based on a virtual veterinary client-patient relationship shall be issued
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initially for no more than thirty (30) days and shall not be renewed for more than thirty (30) days
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without an additional virtual or in-person examination.

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(2) A prescription renewed once and based upon only virtual examinations shall not be
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renewed again without an in-person examination.
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(3) A veterinarian may not prescribe a controlled substance as defined in § 5-19.1-2 unless
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the veterinarian has conducted an in-person examination of the animal or made medically
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appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal or group of animals is kept.
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(e) Services provided through veterinary telemedicine are subject to this state's laws and
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regulations governing the veterinary provider's scope of practice.
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(f) Each telemedicine provider shall disclose to consumers a description of services and
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standard charges in a consumer-friendly display that is easily accessible on the provider's website.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- VETERINARY PRACTICE
***
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This act would authorize a veterinarian to establish a client-patient relationship in Rhode
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Island through synchronous audiovisual electronic means, subject to certain limitations and
3
requirements. The act would also provide that the veterinarian shall be licensed in Rhode Island,
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obtain the client consent to establish the veterinarian client-patient relationship through electronic
5
means, and maintain such documentation for at least one year.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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