Bill Text: NJ A4139 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Exempts certain veterinary students from compliance with veterinary practice licensure laws.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-06-20 - Substituted by S2504 (1R) [A4139 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A4139-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman THOMAS P. GIBLIN
District 34 (Essex and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Exempts certain veterinary students from compliance with veterinary practice licensure laws.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act exempting certain veterinary students from compliance with veterinary practice licensure laws, and amending R.S.45:16-8.1 and R.S.45:16-9.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.45:16-8.1 is amended to read as follows:
45:16-8.1. Any person shall be regarded as practicing veterinary medicine within the meaning of this chapter, who, either directly or indirectly, diagnoses, prognoses, treats, administers, prescribes, operates on, manipulates, or applies any apparatus or appliance for any disease, pain, deformity, defect, injury, wound or physical condition of any animal, including poultry and fish, or who prevents or tests for the presence of any disease in animals, or who performs embryo transfers and related reproductive techniques, or who holds himself out as being able or legally authorized to do so.
The term "practice of veterinary medicine, surgery, and dentistry" does not include:
(1) The calling into this State for consultation of a duly licensed veterinarian of any other state with respect to any case under treatment by a veterinarian registered under the provisions of this act;
(2) The practice of veterinary medicine by any veterinarian in the performance of his official duties in the service of the State of New Jersey or the United States Government, either civil or military;
(3) The experimentation and scientific research activities of physiologists, bacteriologists, biologists, pathologists, biological chemists, chemists, or persons under the direct supervision thereof, when engaged in the study and development of methods and techniques directly or indirectly applicable to the problems of veterinary medical practice;
(4) The administration to the ills and injuries to their own animals by persons owning such animals; provided, however, that they otherwise comply with all laws, rules and regulations relative to the use of medicines and biologics used in so doing;
(5) Persons gratuitously giving aid, assistance or relief in emergency or accident cases, if they do not represent themselves to be veterinarians or use any title or degree appertaining to the practice [thereof] of veterinary medicine, surgery or dentistry ;
(6) Any properly trained animal health technician or other properly trained assistant, who is under the responsible supervision and direction of a licensed veterinarian in his practice of veterinary medicine, if the technician or assistant does not represent himself as a veterinarian or use any title or degree [pertaining] appertaining to the practice [thereof] of veterinary medicine, surgery or dentistry, and does not diagnose, prescribe, or perform surgery;
(7) Emergency paramedical services rendered during the transportation of an animal to an animal or veterinary facility, when the transportation is provided by any person providing the service for hire as a business;
(8) The care, repair and rehabilitation of wildlife species by wildlife rehabilitators under the responsible supervision of a licensed veterinarian; [and]
(9) The undertaking of duties and actions, in accordance with the provisions of subparagraph (2) of subsection a. of R.S.45:16-9, by a student at an accredited veterinary school, if the student does not represent himself as a veterinarian or use any title or degree appertaining to the practice of veterinary medicine, surgery or dentistry; and
(10) Artificial insemination.
(cf: P.L.1985, c.495, s.3)
2. R.S.45:16-9 is amended to read as follows:
45:16-9. [No] a. (1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, no person shall enter [upon] into, or continue, the practice of veterinary medicine, surgery, or dentistry in any of their branches, unless [he] the person has complied with the provisions of this chapter and has been licensed by the board.
(2) Any student in good standing at an accredited veterinary school may, during a school vacation, preceptorship, or intern or extern program, perform duties or actions that otherwise could be considered to constitute the practice of veterinary medicine, surgery, or dentistry, provided that those duties or actions are assigned by a qualified instructor at that accredited veterinary school, and are undertaken by the student under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian. A student applicant shall be associated with a licensed veterinarian in the practice and the student applicant's labors shall be limited to the practice of that licensed veterinarian.
b. No person shall use any title or degree appertaining to the veterinary profession or the practicing of veterinary medicine, surgery, or dentistry in any of their branches without being licensed and registered in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.
(cf: P.L.1983, c.98, s.11)
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill amends the State law pertaining to the professional licensure of veterinarians, in order to exempt from licensure, certain veterinary students engaged in supervised veterinary activities.
State law currently prohibits any person from engaging in the practice of veterinary medicine, surgery, or dentistry unless the person has been licensed by the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners and has complied with all of the provisions of law pertaining to licensure. The bill expressly exempts from this provision any student who is in good standing at an accredited veterinary school, and who, during a school vacation, preceptorship, or intern or extern program, performs veterinary duties or actions assigned by a qualified instructor at that accredited veterinary school, and the duties or actions are undertaken under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian. In addition, the bill specifies that such student shall be associated with a licensed veterinarian and the students labors shall be limited to the practice of that licensed veterinarian.
