CSHB 297(RLS): "An Act relating to student permits authorized by the Board of Veterinary Examiners; and relating to the application of certain statutes pertaining to veterinarians and veterinary practice to certain persons."
00 CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 297(RLS) 01 "An Act relating to student permits authorized by the Board of Veterinary Examiners; 02 and relating to the application of certain statutes pertaining to veterinarians and 03 veterinary practice to certain persons." 04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05 * Section 1. AS 08.98.050(a) is amended to read: 06 (a) The board shall 07 (1) establish examination requirements for eligible applicants for 08 licensure to practice veterinary medicine; 09 (2) examine, or cause to be examined, eligible applicants for licensure 10 or registration; 11 (3) approve the issuance of licenses and student permits to qualified 12 applicants; 13 (4) establish standards for the practice of veterinary medicine by 14 regulation;
01 (5) conduct disciplinary proceedings in accordance with this chapter; 02 (6) adopt regulations requiring proof of continued competency before a 03 license is renewed; 04 (7) as requested by the department, monitor the standards and 05 availability of veterinary services provided in the state and report its findings to the 06 department; 07 (8) collect, or cause to be collected, data concerning the practice of 08 veterinary technology by veterinary technicians in the state and submit the data to the 09 department for maintenance; 10 (9) establish, by regulation, educational and training requirements for 11 (A) the issuance of student permits; and 12 (B) the delegation of duties by veterinarians licensed under this 13 chapter to veterinary technicians. 14 * Sec. 2. AS 08.98.070 is amended to read: 15 Sec. 08.98.070. Duties of the department. The department shall furnish the 16 board with administrative services, including renting space for holding examinations, 17 printing and mailing licenses and student permits, sending notices, before 18 December 1 of each year, that licenses must be renewed, collecting fees and issuing 19 receipts, keeping a current register of licensees, employing secretarial assistants, 20 replying to routine requests for information, printing forms and informational 21 bulletins, typing all matter to be reproduced, maintaining records and completed 22 examinations, and keeping records of receipts and disbursements. 23 * Sec. 3. AS 08.98 is amended by adding a new section to read: 24 Sec. 08.98.125. Exemptions. This chapter does not apply to the following: 25 (1) a veterinary medical officer in the military service in the discharge 26 of official duties or as an employee in the federal or state government performing 27 veterinary medical services within the scope of the person's official duties; 28 (2) a veterinarian who is licensed in another state or country, or a 29 person whose expertise a veterinarian licensed in this state believes would benefit an 30 animal, and who provides only consultation to a veterinarian licensed in this state; in 31 this paragraph, "consultation" means advice or assistance provided in person,
01 telephonically, electronically, or by any other method of communication from a 02 veterinarian or other person whose expertise, in the opinion of the veterinarian, would 03 benefit the animal; and 04 (3) a veterinarian licensed and residing in another state who provides 05 assistance, as requested by and under the supervision of a veterinarian licensed in this 06 state, for the purpose of providing skills not otherwise available in this state in 07 conducting research or other practice of veterinary medicine on captive or free-ranging 08 wildlife; however, that assistance is limited to not more than three events in a calendar 09 year for not more than a total of 60 days in the year and may not be on a regular or 10 recurring basis, as defined by the board. 11 * Sec. 4. AS 08.98 is amended by adding a new section to read: 12 Sec. 08.98.188. Student permit. (a) The board may approve the issuance of a 13 student permit to a student enrolled in and in good standing at an accredited college of 14 veterinary medicine who has completed three years of study and is participating in an 15 externship program as part of the college's educational curriculum. 16 (b) A student permit is valid for not longer than one year and may not extend 17 beyond the student's graduation. 18 (c) A holder of a student permit is subject to the following limitations: 19 (1) assistance in diagnosis and surgery must be under the immediate 20 supervision of a veterinarian licensed in this state; 21 (2) assistance in treatment must be under the direct or indirect 22 supervision of a veterinarian licensed in this state; 23 (3) not more than one student permit holder at a time may be under the 24 direct supervision of a veterinarian licensed in this state; and 25 (4) a veterinary practice may not retain more than two student permit 26 holders at a time. 27 (d) The board shall establish requirements for student permits by regulation. 28 (e) A person holding a permit under this section is not subject to provisions of 29 this chapter other than this section. 30 (f) In this section, 31 (1) "direct supervision" means the supervising veterinarian is on the
01 premises where the animal is being treated and is quickly and easily available; 02 (2) "immediate supervision" means the supervising veterinarian is in 03 the immediate area and within audible and visual range of the animal patient and the 04 person treating the patient; 05 (3) "indirect supervision" means the supervising veterinarian does not 06 need to be on the premises but has given either written or oral instructions for the 07 treatment of the animal; 08 (4) "veterinary practice" means a business that provides veterinary 09 services.