Bill Text: FL S0334 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Rabies Vaccinations
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-14 - Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 303 [S0334 Detail]
Download: Florida-2024-S0334-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2024 SB 334
By Senator Burgess
23-00428A-24 2024334__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to rabies vaccinations; amending s.
3 828.30, F.S.; authorizing certain persons to
4 administer rabies vaccinations to certain animals
5 under the indirect supervision of a veterinarian;
6 providing that a supervising veterinarian assumes
7 responsibility for any person working under the
8 veterinarian’s supervision or at his or her direction;
9 defining the term “indirect supervision”; authorizing
10 a veterinarian who indirectly supervises the
11 administration of the rabies vaccination to affix or
12 have affixed his or her signature stamp in lieu of an
13 actual signature on the rabies vaccination
14 certificate; amending ss. 474.203, 767.16, and 828.29,
15 F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the
16 act; providing an effective date.
17
18 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
19
20 Section 1. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 828.30,
21 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
22 828.30 Rabies vaccination of dogs, cats, and ferrets.—
23 (1)(a) All dogs, cats, and ferrets 4 months of age or older
24 must be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian, or a person
25 authorized under paragraph (b), against rabies with a vaccine
26 that is licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture
27 for use in those species.
28 (b)1. When acting under the indirect supervision of a
29 veterinarian, an employee, an agent, or a contractor of a county
30 or municipal animal control authority or sheriff may vaccinate
31 against rabies a dog, cat, or ferret in the custody of an animal
32 control authority, sheriff, or shelter and that will be
33 transferred, rescued, fostered, adopted, or reclaimed by its
34 owner.
35 2. The supervising veterinarian assumes responsibility for
36 any person vaccinating animals at the veterinarian’s direction
37 or under his or her supervision. As used in this paragraph, the
38 term “indirect supervision” means that the supervising
39 veterinarian is required to be available for consultation
40 through telecommunications, rather than be physically present
41 during the consultation.
42 (c) The owner of every dog, cat, and ferret shall have the
43 animal revaccinated 12 months after the initial vaccination.
44 Thereafter, the interval between vaccinations must shall conform
45 to the vaccine manufacturer’s directions. The cost of
46 vaccination must be borne by the animal’s owner. Evidence of
47 circulating rabies virus neutralizing antibodies may shall not
48 be used as a substitute for current vaccination in managing
49 rabies exposure or determining the need for booster
50 vaccinations.
51 (3) Upon vaccination against rabies, the licensed
52 veterinarian shall provide the animal’s owner and the animal
53 control authority with a rabies vaccination certificate. Each
54 animal control authority and veterinarian shall use the “Rabies
55 Vaccination Certificate” of the National Association of State
56 Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) or an equivalent form
57 approved by the local government which that contains all the
58 information required by the NASPHV Rabies Vaccination
59 Certificate. The veterinarian who administers the rabies
60 vaccination, or who supervises the administration of the rabies
61 vaccination as provided in paragraph (1)(b), vaccine to an
62 animal as authorized required under this section may affix or
63 have affixed his or her signature stamp in lieu of an actual
64 signature.
65 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section
66 474.203, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
67 474.203 Exemptions.—This chapter does not apply to:
68 (5)(a) Any person, or the person’s regular employee,
69 administering to the ills or injuries of her or his own animals,
70 including, but not limited to, castration, spaying, and
71 dehorning of herd animals, unless title is transferred or
72 employment provided for the purpose of circumventing this law.
73 This exemption does not apply to any person licensed as a
74 veterinarian in another state or foreign jurisdiction and
75 practicing temporarily in this state. However, except as
76 provided in s. 828.30, only a veterinarian may immunize or treat
77 an animal for diseases that are communicable to humans and that
78 are of public health significance.
79
80 For the purposes of chapters 465 and 893, persons exempt
81 pursuant to subsection (1), subsection (2), or subsection (4)
82 are deemed to be duly licensed practitioners authorized by the
83 laws of this state to prescribe drugs or medicinal supplies.
84 Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 767.16, Florida
85 Statutes, is amended to read:
86 767.16 Police canine or service dog; exemption.—
87 (2) Any dog used as a service dog for blind, hearing
88 impaired, or disabled persons that bites another animal or a
89 human is exempt from any quarantine requirement following such
90 bite if the dog has a current rabies vaccination that was
91 administered as provided in s. 828.30 by a licensed
92 veterinarian.
93 Section 4. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and paragraph
94 (b) of subsection (2) of section 828.29, Florida Statutes, are
95 amended to read:
96 828.29 Dogs and cats transported or offered for sale;
97 health requirements; consumer guarantee.—
98 (1)
99 (b) For each dog offered for sale within the state, the
100 tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics required by this section must
101 be administered by or under the direction of a veterinarian,
102 licensed by the state and accredited by the United States
103 Department of Agriculture, who issues the official certificate
104 of veterinary inspection. The tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics
105 must be administered before the dog is offered for sale in the
106 state, unless the licensed, accredited veterinarian certifies on
107 the official certificate of veterinary inspection that to
108 inoculate or deworm the dog is not in the best medical interest
109 of the dog, in which case the vaccine or anthelmintic may not be
110 administered to that particular dog. Each dog must receive
111 vaccines and anthelmintics against the following diseases and
112 internal parasites:
113 1. Canine distemper.
114 2. Leptospirosis.
115 3. Bordetella (by intranasal inoculation or by an
116 alternative method of administration if deemed necessary by the
117 attending veterinarian and noted on the health certificate,
118 which must be administered in this state once before sale).
119 4. Parainfluenza.
120 5. Hepatitis.
121 6. Canine parvo.
122 7. Rabies, provided the dog is over 3 months of age and the
123 inoculation is administered as provided in s. 828.30 by a
124 licensed veterinarian.
125 8. Roundworms.
126 9. Hookworms.
127
128 If the dog is under 4 months of age, the tests, vaccines, and
129 anthelmintics required by this section must be administered no
130 more than 21 days before sale within the state. If the dog is 4
131 months of age or older, the tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics
132 required by this section must be administered at or after 3
133 months of age, but no more than 1 year before sale within the
134 state.
135 (2)
136 (b) For each cat offered for sale within the state, the
137 tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics required by this section must
138 be administered by or under the direction of a veterinarian,
139 licensed by the state and accredited by the United States
140 Department of Agriculture, who issues the official certificate
141 of veterinary inspection. The tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics
142 must be administered before the cat is offered for sale in the
143 state, unless the licensed, accredited veterinarian certifies on
144 the official certificate of veterinary inspection that to
145 inoculate or deworm the cat is not in the best medical interest
146 of the cat, in which case the vaccine or anthelmintic may not be
147 administered to that particular cat. Each cat must receive
148 vaccines and anthelmintics against the following diseases and
149 internal parasites:
150 1. Panleukopenia.
151 2. Feline viral rhinotracheitis.
152 3. Calici virus.
153 4. Rabies, if the cat is over 3 months of age and the
154 inoculation is administered as provided in s. 828.30 by a
155 licensed veterinarian.
156 5. Hookworms.
157 6. Roundworms.
158
159 If the cat is under 4 months of age, the tests, vaccines, and
160 anthelmintics required by this section must be administered no
161 more than 21 days before sale within the state. If the cat is 4
162 months of age or older, the tests, vaccines, and anthelmintics
163 required by this section must be administered at or after 3
164 months of age, but no more than 1 year before sale within the
165 state.
166 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.
