No. SB 1382
Filed under Healthcare.
Practice of Veterinary Medicine; Revising the membership of the Board of Veterinary Medicine; specifying the services a veterinary technician or veterinary technologist must be licensed to perform, under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian; specifying that licensed veterinarians are responsible for all services performed by licensed veterinary technicians or veterinary technologists; specifying the services that only licensed veterinarians may perform or provide, etc.
Plain English Summary
AI-GENERATEDFlorida creates a real license for veterinary technicians and technologists for the first time, requiring a national exam or accredited degree, or certification through a state association, plus board rules to govern the profession.
A specific list of tasks -- catheterization, suturing incisions, dental extractions, casting fractures, drawing blood for transfusions, and more -- now requires this license, taking those tasks away from unlicensed veterinary assistants.
The supervising veterinarian remains responsible for everything performed by staff, licensed or not, and only a veterinarian may diagnose, operate, or prescribe medication -- that stays off-limits to technicians entirely.
The Board of Veterinary Medicine gains a seat for a licensed veterinary technician, taken from what used to be two layperson seats -- the public now holds one seat instead of two.
AIEstablishes the first Florida licensure requirement for veterinary technicians and technologists, granted by finishing an accredited program and passing the national exam.
AIRequires a veterinary technician or technologist license, under a veterinarian's supervision, to perform specific tasks including catheterization, suturing incisions, casting fractures, drawing blood for transfusion, certain dental extractions, and administering rabies vaccines, taking those tasks away from unlicensed staff.
AIRegardless of any technician's license, only a licensed veterinarian may make a diagnosis, perform surgery, or prescribe medicinal drugs or controlled substances -- those remain entirely off-limits to technicians and technologists.
AIA person already certified as a veterinary technician in good standing with the Florida Veterinary Technician Association or Florida Veterinary Medical Association can become licensed without the accredited-degree and national-exam path, just by applying and showing knowledge of state law.
AIRegardless of who actually performs a task or whether that person is licensed, the supervising veterinarian is responsible for all services performed by staff working under their supervision.
AIAdds a board seat reserved for a licensed veterinary technician with at least 5 years' active practice, while reducing the number of required layperson board members from two to one.
AIAdds licensed veterinary technicians, acting under a veterinarian's immediate supervision, to the list of people who may administer the required rabies vaccination to dogs, cats, and ferrets.
AIFalsely claiming to be a licensed veterinary technician, or a veterinary assistant using the technician title without qualifying, becomes a criminal offense punishable as a first-degree misdemeanor.