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2006 SESSION

063481498
HOUSE BILL NO. 644
Offered January 11, 2006
Prefiled January 10, 2006
A BILL to amend and reenact § 54.1-3801 of the Code of Virginia, relating to equine dentistry.
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Patrons-- Scott, E.T.; Senator: Houck
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Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 54.1-3801 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 54.1-3801. Exceptions.

This chapter shall not apply to:

1. The owner of an animal and the owner's full-time, regular employee caring for and treating the animal belonging to such owner, except where the ownership of the animal was transferred for the purpose of circumventing the requirements of this chapter;

2. Veterinarians licensed in other states called in actual consultation or to attend a case in this Commonwealth who do not open an office or appoint a place to practice within this Commonwealth;

3. Veterinarians employed by the United States or by this Commonwealth while actually engaged in the performance of their official duties; or

4. Veterinarians providing free care in underserved areas of Virginia who (i) do not regularly practice veterinary medicine in Virginia, (ii) hold a current valid license or certificate to practice veterinary medicine in another state, territory, district or possession of the United States, (iii) volunteer to provide free care in an underserved area of this Commonwealth under the auspices of a publicly supported all volunteer, nonprofit organization with no paid employees that sponsors the provision of health care to populations of underserved people throughout the world, (iv) file copies of their licenses or certificates issued in such other jurisdiction with the Board, (v) notify the Board at least 15 days prior to the voluntary provision of services of the dates and location of such service, and (vi) acknowledge, in writing, that such licensure exemption shall only be valid, in compliance with the Board's regulations, during the limited period that such free healthcare is made available through the volunteer, nonprofit organization on the dates and at the location filed with the Board. The Board may deny the right to practice in Virginia to any veterinarian whose license has been previously suspended or revoked, who has been convicted of a felony or who is otherwise found to be in violation of applicable laws or regulations; or

5.  The practice of equine dentistry, including the floating or filing of the points of a horse's molars and the routine extraction of single rooted teeth, by trained equine dental technicians while engaged to so practice by the owner of the animal regardless of whether employed by a veterinarian.