Legislature(1995 - 1996)
02/15/1996 08:04 AM House STA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 432 - VETERINARY LICENSING The first order of business to come before the House State Affairs Committee was HB 432. CHAIR JAMES called on George Dozier, Legislative Assistant to Representative Pete Kott to present the sponsor statement for HB 432. Number 0085 GEORGE DOZIER, Legislative Assistant to Representative Pete Kott, said HB 432 was suggested by a local veterinarian in Eagle River who felt the definition of the unauthorized practice of veterinarian medicine was too vague. It was also discovered the licensing statutes referenced examinations administered by the National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners and the American Veterinary Association's Education Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates that no longer administered them. Consequently, the House Labor and Commerce Committee filed HB 432. Mr. Dozier said it was a relatively simple bill. The bill substituted the names of the examinations to bring the current statutes into conformity with actual examination practices. He cited the examinations were now administered by the National Board Examination Committee and the National Board Examination Committee's Education Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates. He further said HB 432 defined the nature of unlicensed veterinary practice for the state of Alaska and made it a criminal penalty - a unclassified misdemeanor with a potential penalty of up to one year in jail and a $10,000 fine. The bill also required veterinary technicians be licensed by the state. He said there were veterinarians standing by in Anchorage to articulate their concerns. Number 0302 CHAIR JAMES wondered about veterinary medicine in general, and questioned if the bill prohibited dog mushers, for example, from giving shots to their own dogs. Number 0350 MR. DOZIER replied the bill was intended to not affect individuals who cared for their own animals, but rather for individuals who held themselves as a competent animal caregiver. Number 0368 CHAIR JAMES replied, therefore, a dog musher such as Susan Butcher could take care of her own dogs, but she could not take care of anybody else's dog. Number 0406 MR. DOZIER said, "I don't believe that that's the intent of the bill." CHAIR JAMES mentioned farmers who took care of their own animals. She also mentioned artificial insemination, and wondered if a farmer could perform such a service. MR. DOZIER replied, "I don't believe that it would have to be a veterinarian, Madame Chair." Number 0414 CHAIR JAMES further wondered about pet shops that sold animals without a check-up, and questioned if there was a law that prohibited that. Number 0470 MR. DOZIER said he did not know definitively if there a law that prohibited a pet shop from selling diseased animals. The intent of HB 432, however, was to prohibit the unauthorized practice of veterinarian medicine, he asserted. Number 0505 REPRESENTATIVE CAREN ROBINSON mentioned the problems regarding the humane societies and the ability to give the appropriate shots. She suggested Mr. Dozier look into that matter further. Number 0549 CHAIR JAMES said she was concerned about the cost getting too high for the benefits to a society, such as the humane society. Number 0577 REPRESENTATIVE BRIAN PORTER questioned if the restrictions should be placed on a person that performed the service for money rather than a person that performed it for free. He said he did not want his neighbor who helped his dog with its broken leg to commit a misdemeanor. Number 0612 CHAIR JAMES responded she remembered when it was illegal to cut somebody else's hair in the state of Oregon. The act did not delineate between a service charge or not. It was protectionism for the barbers and hairdressers. Number 0660 MR. DOZIER referred the committee members to Section 7 which indicated the practice of veterinary medicine did mean for compensation. Number 0674 REPRESENTATIVE JOE GREEN said the questions had gone askew. The focus of HB 432 dealt with the practice of veterinarian medicine and not what friends did for each other. He suggested keeping the focus on the practice of veterinarian medicine. Number 0728 REPRESENTATIVE ROBINSON suggested hearing from Catherine Reardon, Department of Commerce and Economic Development, to explain the lack of a zero fiscal note from the department. Number 0817 CATHERINE REARDON, Director, Central Office, Division of Occupational Licensing, Department of Commerce and Economic Development, said a fiscal note was not submitted because it was not requested. She said it would be a zero fiscal note from the department and she would be happy to prepare one for the committee. CHAIR JAMES replied, "it would be appreciated." Number 0840 REPRESENTATIVE ROBINSON questioned the zero fiscal note because the bill stated the department would be setting up regulations, and wondered if staff existed already. Number 0856 MS. REARDON replied the department had a regulation specialist and the projects would compete with each other. She stated there would be advertising, and if the committee wanted, she could include the public interest cost, but the department would generally absorb it like any other regulation project. Number 0889 REPRESENTATIVE ROBINSON wondered if this was a conformation to a new law because it sounded like a lot of it was already in place. MS. REARDON replied HB 432 was a clean-up of the existing statute. Number 0909 CHAIR JAMES stated the bill added veterinary technicians. MS. REARDON replied the bill allowed the board to adopt regulations. The board currently licensed veterinary technicians, but did not have the regulatory authority. She stated the bill improved the system. REPRESENTATIVE ROBINSON moved that HB 432 move from the committee with individual recommendations and zero fiscal notes including the commitment from Catherine Reardon to provide a zero fiscal note from the Department of Commerce and Economic Development. Hearing no objection, HB 432 was moved from the House State Affairs Committee.
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