2013 -- S 0519

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LC01675

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS - VETERINARY PRACTICE

     

     

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, Sheehan, Walaska, Kettle, and Goldin

     Date Introduced: February 28, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 5-25-11 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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     5-25-11. Licensing of veterinarians. -- (a) By Examination. - The applicant is required

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to pass, with a grade determined by the division, an examination approved by the division; upon

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payment of an examination fee as set forth in section 23-1-54 every candidate who passes that

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examination, and in the opinion of the division meets the qualifications of section 5-25-10, shall,

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upon payment of an initial license fee, which shall be equal to the biennial license renewal fee in

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effect, be issued a license to practice veterinary medicine. Veterinarians licensed under the

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provisions of this chapter on August 31, 1985 shall continue to be licensed.

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      (b) Without Examination by Endorsement. - A license to practice veterinary medicine

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may be issued without examination to an applicant who has been duly licensed by examination as

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a veterinarian under the laws of another state or territory or District of Columbia, if, in the

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opinion of the division, the applicant meets the qualifications required of veterinarians in this

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state, as further defined in rules and regulations.

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     (c) Emergency or natural disaster. A veterinarian who is properly and currently licensed

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or credentialed in another state may practice, without written examination or other qualification,

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in the state of Rhode Island during an emergency or natural disaster as determined by the Rhode

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Island state veterinarian or the director of the division of agriculture. Said veterinarian shall

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provide only those services that are at the direction of the Rhode Island state veterinarian or the

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chief of the division of agriculture and are directly related to a response to an emergency or

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natural disaster and only until the services of the veterinarian are no longer required as

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determined by the Rhode Island state veterinarian or the chief of the division of agriculture.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

     

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LC01675

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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 licensed veterinarians in other states to practice in Rhode Island

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during emergency situations at the direction of the Rhode Island state veterinarian or the chief of

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the division of agriculture.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

     

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LC01675

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S0519