2025 -- H 5555

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LC001865

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- VETERINARY PRACTICE

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

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2025

     Referred To: House Corporations

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 5-25-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-25 entitled "Veterinary

Practice" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     5-25-2. Definitions.

     As used in this chapter:

     (1) “Animal” means any animal other than humans and includes, by way of illustration,

not limitation, fowl, birds, fish, livestock, and reptiles, wild or domestic, living or dead.

     (2) “Department” means the Rhode Island department of health.

     (3) “Director” means the director of the Rhode Island department of health.

     (4) “Division” means the division of professional regulation within the department of

health established in chapter 26 of this title.

     (5) “Veterinarian” means a person who practices is licensed to practice veterinary medicine

in the State of Rhode Island.

     (6) “Veterinarian/client/patient relationship” means a relationship where all of the

following conditions have been met:

     (i) The veterinarian has assumed the responsibility for making medical judgments

regarding the health of the animal or animals and the need for medical treatment, and the client has

agreed to follow the instructions of the veterinarian;

     (ii) The veterinarian has sufficient knowledge of the animal or animals to initiate at least a

general or preliminary (e.g. tentative) diagnosis of the medical condition of the animal or animals.

This means that the veterinarian has recently seen and is personally acquainted with the keeping

and care of the animal or animals, and/or by medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises

where the animal or animals are kept, or obtained current knowledge of the animal through

electronic means, including via audio-only telephone or a video-based communication medium,

subject to the limitations and requirements of § 5-25-18;

     (iii) The veterinarian is readily available for follow-up in cases of adverse reactions or

failure of the regimen of therapy; and

     (iv) The veterinarian maintains records that document patient visits, diagnosis, treatment,

and other relevant information.

     (7) “Veterinary dentistry” means that part of veterinary science that deals with the

prevention and treatment of diseases, developmental conditions, and injuries of the teeth, gums,

and oral cavity in animals.

     SECTION 2. Chapter 5-25 of the General Laws entitled "Veterinary Practice" is hereby

amended by adding thereto the following section:

     5-25-18. Veterinary telemedicine client patient relationship.

     (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, regulation or rule to the contrary, a

veterinarian may establish a client-patient relationship in Rhode Island through electronic means,

subject to the limitations and requirements set forth in subsection (b) of this section.

     (b) Before establishing a veterinarian client-patient relationship through electronic means,

a veterinarian shall:

     (1) Be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State of Rhode Island pursuant to this

chapter;

     (2) Establish a veterinarian client-patient relationship in person;

     (3) Obtain from the client verbal consent to establish the veterinarian client-patient

relationship through electronic means, including an acknowledgement that the same standards of

care under state law and regulations apply to telehealth and in-person visits; and

     (4) Maintain such documentation for at least one year.

     (c) A veterinarian shall make a good faith effort to determine whether care service should

be provided through telemedicine instead of in-person. The veterinarian shall use clinical judgment

in considering whether the nature of the services necessitates physical interventions and close

observation and the circumstances of the patient, including diagnosis, symptoms, history, and age.

     (d) Veterinarians may prescribe after establishing a virtual veterinary client-patient

relationship under the following conditions:

     (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

without an additional virtual or in-person examination.

     (2) A prescription renewed once and based upon only virtual examinations shall not be

renewed again without an in-person examination.

     (d) Services provided through veterinary telemedicine are subject to this state's laws and

regulations governing the veterinary provider's scope of practice.

     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

***

     This act would authorize a veterinarian to establish a client-patient relationship in Rhode

Island through electronic means, subject to certain limitations and requirements such as by first

establishing a veterinarian client-patient relationship in-person and making a good faith effort to

determine whether care should be provided through telemedicine instead of in-person. The act

would also provide that the veterinarian shall be licensed in Rhode Island, obtain client consent to

establish the veterinarian client-patient relationship through electronic means, and maintain such

documentation for at least one year.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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