Creates provisions relating to veterinary professionals

Specifically, this act provides that allied professionals, which are health care professionals in areas of traditional human medicine, shall support, enhance, or extend the services provided by veterinary care providers and shall work under the immediate supervision of a licensed veterinarian unless exempted by rule of the Missouri Veterinary Medical Board ("Board") or by law.

Additionally, this act modifies provisions of law related to the veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Currently, the veterinarian-client-patient relationship means that the veterinarian has recently seen and is personally acquainted with the keeping and care of an animal by virtue of an examination and that the veterinarian is readily available for follow-up care. Instead, this act provides that the veterinarian-client-patient relationship means that the veterinarian is personally acquainted with the keeping and care of an animal by virtue of an in-person examination and has provided an emergency care plan. The relationship may be extended or be transferable to a veterinarian practicing under the same facility permit after such veterinarian reviews the patient's medical history and assumes the responsibility for any medical treatment decisions.

Furthermore, the veterinarian-client-patient relationship is maintained by the veterinarian receiving a consultation from a consulting veterinarian and a veterinarian-client-patient relationship is not required for telehealth advice, as such term is defined in the act.

This act further provides that members of the Board shall receive $100, rather than $50, for each day devoted to the affairs of the Board.

Current law provides that the Board's powers of inspection of veterinary facilities shall not include inspection of vehicles used in the practice of veterinary medicine unless the Board has received a complaint regarding such vehicle. This act repeals such provision. Additionally, the Board may assist state and local law enforcement, in addition to the Attorney General, in any proper action to remove unlawful practitioners from practice or those persons in violation of the law or rule of the Board and assist with any prosecution for criminal violations of the law regarding veterinary professions.

Furthermore, the Board shall provide, rather than mail, a copy of the list of licensees to any person, agency, or professional organization upon request and payment of a fee as necessary.

This act provides that current law governing the practice of veterinary medicine shall not prohibit a bovine reproductive professional, as defined in the act, from acting under indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian while performing advanced reproductive technologies on bovine animals. Additionally, it shall not be unlawful for any person not licensed as a veterinarian from lecturing or giving instructions or demonstrations at a school of veterinary medicine or in connection with a continuing education course or seminar for veterinarians.

It is considered the practice of veterinary medicine to use any invasive procedure to remove an oocyte, in addition to any embryo as provided in current law, from an animal for the purpose of transplanting an embryo or resultant embryo from harvested oocyte into another female animal. Additionally, this act provides that the practice of veterinary medicine does not include a bovine reproductive professional trained in advanced reproductive technologies to remove an embryo or oocyte from a bovine animal for the purpose of transplanting such embryo into another female bovine animal or for the purpose of cryopreserving such embryo, or to implant such embryo into a bovine animal while under indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

A licensed veterinarian supervisor shall be responsible and liable for the acts and omissions of a bovine reproductive professional, among other veterinary professionals, working under his or her supervision. However, this provision shall not be construed to relieve a bovine reproductive professional or other professionals from liability for any of their own acts or omissions. Additionally, a bovine reproductive professional shall be subject to the same disciplinary actions as those licensed and registered by the Board, including discipline for specific actions taken by veterinary technicians or technologists.

This act further provides that the methods and practice of veterinary medicine may not be compelled or restricted by a governing body of a political subdivision not specified in current law.

Currently, graduates of nonaccredited colleges of veterinary medicine located outside the United States, its territories, and Canada shall furnish satisfactory proof to the Board that the applicant has earned and currently holds an Educational Commission of Foreign Veterinarian Graduate certificate. This act provides that the graduate may provide satisfactory proof that the graduate holds a certificate issued by the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education Equivalence of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards.

Furthermore, current law provides that an applicant, who has failed the required examinations on three attempts, shall present to the Board a plan for passage and evidence of completion of at least 30 hours, or 10 hours for veterinary technicians or technologists, of continuing education since the last examination or in the calendar year preceding the fourth and final examination. This act repeals this provision.

This act provides that for licensure by reciprocity requires the applicant to have been actively engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine for at least one year, rather than five consecutive years, immediately prior to the application. Additionally, this act repeals the requirements that the standards for licensure of the jurisdiction where the applicant is licensed be equal to or more stringent than the requirements for licensure in Missouri and repeals the provision regarding the determinations of such admission standards by the Executive Director of the Board. Lastly, this act repeals the provision allowing for the Board to enter into reciprocal compacts with other licensing boards from other jurisdictions.

This act establishes a temporary locum tenens license, which allows for practice solely at an institution of higher learning or in an education or research program associated with an institution. The license shall be valid for no more than six weeks. Furthermore, this act establishes a temporary emergency license that allows a veterinarian or veterinary technician who is currently licensed in good standing in another state to practice during a state of emergency or natural disaster declared by the governor or a duly designated state official. Unless renewed, emergency licenses shall be valid for only a period of sixty days or until the state of emergency is lifted, whichever occurs first. The applicant shall complete an application for temporary emergency license with the Board, but shall not be required to pay an application fee. Veterinary services shall be requested through the incident command structure and under the supervision of the incident commander. Additionally, all services provided by the licensee shall be on a volunteer basis only and the licensee are prohibited from collecting fees or monetary compensation from animal owners for care provided.

Current law provides that a notice and an application of renewal of a license shall be mailed to the licensee's last known business address by the Board and that failure of the Board to do so shall not relieve any licensee of the duty to make application for renewal or to pay the necessary renewal fee nor shall it exempt the licensee from the penalties provided by law for failure to promptly renew such license. This act repeals such provision of law.

Additionally, the Board may refuse to issue or renew a license and may file a complaint with the Administrative Hearing Commission for the use of any controlled substance or alcohol to an extent that such use impairs a person's ability to perform his or her profession. This act adds the use of any other substance to such provision. Additionally, this act repeals a provision of current law permitting the Board to file a complaint for the willful and continual overcharging for services or the overtreating of patients. Furthermore, this act provides that a complaint may be filed for the termination of medical care of a patient without adequate notice to the owner or without recommending, instead of making, other arrangements for the continued care of the patient.

A person with certain academic credentials and having membership in certain organizations, as described in the act, may provide advanced reproductive technologies to bovine animals under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. A person with such academic credentials, who is not a member of a nationally recognized organization that acknowledges persons performing embryo transfer or vitro fertilization, may qualify as a bovine reproductive professional by examination and upon successful certification examination may provide advanced reproductive technologies to bovine animals under supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

The act creates the "Certification Examination Committee" which is comprised of three members as described in the act. The members shall serve terms of four years, but shall not serve more than two terms. The certification examination and continuing education of bovine reproductive professionals shall be approved by the Committee, as described in the act.

Whenever the term "veterinary practice" is used in law, the term shall include registered veterinary technicians or technologists or the practice of a registered veterinary technician or technologist.

This act provides that the Board shall notify, rather than send a letter signed by the chair or vice chair, to all successful examinees for registration as a veterinary technician or technologist.

Lastly, this act modifies provisions relating to loan repayments for veterinary graduates. Specifically, this act modifies the definition of resident as it relates to eligibility to provide that the person shall live in the state for one or more years and has been determined or is considered to be a Missouri resident by an accredited university in this state, rather than for a purpose other than attending an educational institution located within this state. Additionally, this act repeals the requirement that eligible students be in the final year of veterinary medical school.

Furthermore, this act provides that the Department of Agriculture shall enter into an agreement that the individual shall serve up to four years, rather than equal to four years, in order to receive loan repayment by the state. The Department of Agriculture shall also approve, rather than stipulate, specific practice sites where applicants shall agree to practice for participation in the loan repayment program.

For breaches of the contract for loan repayment, the state shall be entitled to recover an amount equal to the total number of obligated months of service which were not completed by an individual multiplied by $500, unless the Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Advisory Panel, determines that the individual has acted in good faith and the breach is due to circumstances beyond the individual's control, in which case it may be determined that no penalty shall be assessed.

Under current law, the Department of Agriculture shall grant a deferral of payments if the recipient meets certain requirements. This act instead provides that the Department, in consultation with the advisory panel, may grant such a deferral.

This act contains provisions similar to provisions in HB 2470 (2026). KATIE O'BRIEN