2017 -- H 5386

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS - VETERINARY PRACTICE

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Filippi, Roberts, Quattrocchi, Chippendale, and Price

     Date Introduced: February 03, 2017

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 5-25-7 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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     5-25-7. Practice of veterinary medicine defined.

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     (a) Any person shall be regarded as practicing veterinary medicine, surgery and dentistry

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within the meaning of this chapter who, either directly or indirectly, when he or she does any of

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the following:

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     (1) Represents himself or herself as engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine,

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veterinary surgery, or veterinary dentistry in any of its branches.

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     (2) Diagnoses, prognoses, treats, administers, prescribes, operates on, manipulates or

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applies any drug, biologic, or chemical or any apparatus or appliance for any disease, pain,

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deformity, defect, injury, wound, or physical condition of any animal for the prevention of or to

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test the presence of any disease.

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     (3) Cuts any tissue, muscle, organ, or structure of any animal for the purposes described

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in subdivision (2) of this subsection or purpose or for the purpose of altering the natural condition

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of any animal or for any other purpose, cause or reason.

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     (b) The term "practicing veterinary medicine" does not include:

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     (1) The calling into the state for consultation of duly licensed or registered veterinarians

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of any other state as to any case under treatment by a veterinarian registered under the provisions

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of this chapter.

 

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     (2) The experimentation or research of a registered physician, dentist or osteopath.

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     (3) The experimentation and research activities conducted at any hospital, laboratory, or

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educational institution provided the activities have been approved and authorized by the division

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within the period of one year prior to the commencement of each separate project or activity or

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are conducted under the general supervision and control of a registered veterinarian, physician,

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dentist, or osteopath.

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     (4) The gratuitous giving of aid or relief to an animal in any accident or emergency;

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provided, the person giving the aid or relief does not represent himself or herself as a registered

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veterinarian.

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     (5) The nursing care to animals in the establishment or facilities of a registered

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veterinarian under his or her general supervision, direction and control by the employees of the

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veterinarian or the activities of a person assisting a veterinarian during the course of any

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procedure or treatment.

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     (6) A person who is a regular student in a legally chartered college or school of veterinary

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medicine while in the performance of the duties and activities assigned by his or her instructors

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and provided there is a licensed veterinarian to supervise those acts.

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     (7) A person who is a member of the armed forces of the United States or who is an

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employee or official of the United States department of agriculture, public health service, or other

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federal agency or of the state, who while so commissioned or employed, performs official duties.

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     (8) A person who conducts routine vaccinations, pullorum or testing and typhoid testing

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of poultry and other poultry of poultry or livestock for the purposes of disease control activity

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under the supervision of an official state or federal agency or department of agriculture.

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     (9) A person who advises with respect to or performs acts which are livestock

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management and animal husbandry practices that have been accepted and performed as required

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by the livestock welfare and care standards advisory council, pursuant to chapter 26 of title 4.

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Prescription drugs shall not be used except by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian, as

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provided by state and federal law.

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     SECTION 2. 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 allow non-veterinarians to perform certain husbandry procedures that are

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commonly performed by owners of animal pets and livestock.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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