Bill Text: IA SF299 | 2023-2024 | 90th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: A bill for an act allowing emergency medical care providers to diagnose and treat severe injuries suffered by police service dogs while on duty.(See SF 539.)

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-03-06 - Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 539. S.J. 504. [SF299 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2023-SF299-Introduced.html

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Senate File 299 - Introduced
SENATE FILE 299
BY McCLINTOCK
A BILL FOR
An Act allowing emergency medical care providers to diagnose
and treat severe injuries suffered by police service dogs
while on duty.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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Section 1. Section 147A.8, Code 2023, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION . 3. Provide veterinary medical services by
diagnosing or treating a severely injured police service dog
as provided in section 169.4.
Sec. 2. Section 169.4, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION . 16. a. An emergency medical care provider
certified pursuant to chapter 147A who elects to provide
veterinary medical services by diagnosing or treating a police
service dog, if all of the following apply:
(1) The police service dog was on duty under the supervision
of a peace officer as defined in section 801.4.
(2) The police service dog suffered a severe injury.
(3) The veterinary medical services are necessary to
immediately stabilize the police service dog’s condition for
later diagnosis or treatment by a licensed veterinarian or the
holder of a valid temporary permit.
b. An emergency medical care provider certified pursuant
to chapter 147A may elect not to provide veterinary medical
services under paragraph “a” .
c. If an emergency medical care provider certified pursuant
to chapter 147A elects to provide veterinary medical services
under paragraph “a” , all of the following apply:
(1) The emergency medical care provider shall diagnose or
treat the police service dog only after diagnosing or treating
any injured human at the scene of the emergency.
(2) The emergency medical care provider shall not be civilly
liable as a result of an act, omission, or decision made when
diagnosing or treating the police service dog.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
BACKGROUND. Current law provides for veterinary medical
services that include diagnosing or treating an animal’s
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S.F. 299
injury. The services are required to be provided by a
veterinarian holding a license or temporary permit issued by
the Iowa board of veterinary medicine (Code chapter 169).
Certain exceptions apply which allow other persons to provide
limited services, such as persons performing accepted livestock
management practices (Code section 169.4).
BILL’S PROVISIONS. This bill provides an exception for
a person certified by the Iowa department of public health
as an emergency medical care provider (Code chapter 147A)
when diagnosing or treating a police service dog acting under
the supervision of peace officer (e.g., county sheriff or
deputy, police officer employed by a city, or member of the
department of public safety). The police service dog must
be injured while on duty, the injury must be severe, and the
veterinary medical services must be necessary to immediately
stabilize the police service dog’s condition for a later
diagnosis or treatment by a licensed veterinarian or temporary
permit holder. The bill provides that an emergency medical
care provider is not required to diagnose or treat a police
service dog, cannot provide such a service prior to diagnosing
or treating a human at the scene of an emergency, and is not
civilly liable as a result of an act, omission, or decision
made when diagnosing or treating the police service dog.
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