Legislative Days 13 – 16

February 5, 2016

Bills Begin to Move

As was the case last week, committee activity has continued at an active pace.  Throughout Capitol Hill, various committees meet throughout the day to consider and vote on a variety of policy issues. 

Several long-anticipated bills were introduced this week and will likely receive hearings when the legislature returns on Monday.

There is plenty of time left in the session for members to advance their initiatives through the process, but the calendar will become a factor as the midway point grows near.

Next week promises to be the liveliest yet. This is some ways a strategic decision by legislative leadership, who can benefit from a chaotic atmosphere as they push through their priorities.

Funding for the Veterinary Loan Repayment Program

According to the Georgia Farm Bureau, nearly half of Georgia’s counties do not have a veterinary practice dedicated to food animal medicine.  To help combat this systemic shortage, Representative Gene Maddox, DVM introduced HB 60 in 2011 to create incentives for graduating veterinarians to locate in underserved areas of the state. 

While that legislation was enacted in 2011, it has yet to be funded.  A coalition of livestock producers is working with the House Appropriations Committee to secure $40,000 in funding in the FY2017 budget.  This amount would allow 2 veterinarians to receive $20,000 this year.  The intention is for this pool of money to grow by $40,000 for the next four years, eventually allowing a maximum of 8 veterinarians to receive $20,000 for four years by FY2020.

 We recommend the Association submit a letter of support to House Appropriations Chairman Terry England.

Professional & General Business Issues

HB 892: Disclosure of Veterinary Records

Representative Tom Kirby, R-Loganville

Assigned to the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee on 2/4

HB 892 strikes a reference to code that states "no veterinarian shall be required to disclose any information concerning the veterinarian's care of an animal except on written authorization or other waiver by the veterinarian's client or on appropriate court order or subpoena."  The author’s original intention was to make all veterinary records available to the public.  The Association is working to better the impact of the legislation as introduced.

HB 800: Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship

Representative Rick Jasperse, R-Jasper

Adopted by the House on 2/4

HB 800 amends language in the veterinary practice act regarding the veterinarian-client-patient relationship as it applies to herd and flock health.  Specifically, the bill acknowledges a proper relationship exists when a licensed veterinarian makes “medically appropriate or timely visits … to premises within an operation or production system where the animal or groups of animals are kept.”  This revision comes at the request of the Georgia Poultry Association to align state code with federal language.

At the Association’s request, the bill also strikes the phrase “or his or her licensed designee” after “licensed veterinarian.”  This clarifies that a veterinarian is the only one who can make medical decisions, thereby aligning state code with current Veterinary Board rules.

SB 230: Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act

Senator Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome

Adopted by the Senate on 2/4

This bill comes out of the Uniform Law Commission, a non-partisan group that provides states with well-drafted legislation to bring clarity and stability to critical areas of state law.  The Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act allows state governments, during a declared emergency, to give reciprocity to other states’ licensees on emergency services providers so that individuals may provide services without meeting the state’s licensing requirements.  The legislation makes specific reference to veterinarians, thereby allowing veterinarians licensed in other states to provide veterinarian services in Georgia in times of emergency without being licensed in Georgia.  This model law has been enacted by 15 other states.  For more information, click here.

HB 538: Rabies Notification

Representative Scot Turner, R-Holly Springs

Pending in the House Rules Committee

As introduced last year, HB 538 requires a veterinarian to disclose any information medically relevant to the care and treatment of a person bitten or contacted by an animal within the veterinarian's care to the person, their legal guardian or physician.  The Association expressed concerns with the vague language.  In response, the author amended the legislation.  It now reads, “a veterinarian must disclose the rabies vaccination history of any animal within their care within 24 hours of receipt of a written request by the physician of any person bitten by that animal.”

HB 783: Annual Drug Update

Representative Bruce Broadrick, R-Dalton

Tabled in the House Health & Human Services Committee

HB 783 represents the annual drug update bill that adds to and revises the lists of drugs classified as controlled substances.  Association representatives have reviewed the revisions and do not believe it will affect the profession or animal healthcare in Georgia. 

Usually, this annual drug update is easily passed out of committee.  This year, however, the legislation creates a new class of “restricted dangerous drugs” and add Kratom to that list.  Kratom has been banned in other states and countries, but supporters say it helps with chronic pain.  After numerous people testified for and against the bill, the committee opted to table it.  It will likely be revised and revisited next week.

HB 821: Military Spouses and Veterans Licensure Act

Representative Al Williams, D-Midway

Pending in the House Small Business Development Committee

HB 821 requires professional licensing boards and other boards to adopt rules and regulations implementing a process by which military spouses and transitioning service members may qualify for temporary licenses, licenses by endorsement, expedited licenses, or a combination thereof for each professional, business or trade for which a license is issued.

Animal Welfare & Regulation Issues

SB 264 and SR 135: Horseracing

Senator Brandon Beach, R-Alpharetta

Pending in the Senate Rules Committee

SB 264 provides for the regulation and operation of horseracing and pari-mutuel wagering.  SR 135 contains the constitutional amendment allowing voters to decide if horseracing and pari-mutuel wagering should be authorized.

HB 561: Official State Dog

Representative Joe Wilkinson, R-Atlanta

Favorably reported from the House Governmental Affairs Committee on 2/3

In an effort to highlight the number of homeless dogs available for rescue, HB 561 makes the “adoptable dog” Georgia’s official state dog.

HB 876: Livestock Dealers

Representative Clay Pirkle, R-Ashburn

Favorably reported from the House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee on 2/2

HB 876 updates license and surety requirements of livestock dealers and livestock market operators and requires the Commissioner to publish the names and locations of duly licensed dealers and livestock market operators.

HB 796: Service Animals

Representative Tom Kirby, R-Loganville

Pending the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee

HB 796 places additional rights and responsibilities on handicapped people with service animals (updated from “guide dog” and “service dog”).  A “service animal” is defined as an animal that is trained to assist, do work, or perform tasks for a physically or mentally impaired person and which is actually utilized for the purpose of aiding the person in performing one or more major live activities.”  The term also applies to animals currently being trained as a service animal.

 Additionally, the Department of Human Services will create and issue information cards to handicapped persons assuring them of their right of equal access to public accommodations and the right to be accompanied by a service animal at all places of public accommodation.  The bill penalizes people who misrepresent themselves as qualified to use or train a service animal and increases penalties for people who harass, injure or kill a service animal.

HB 858: Limit Liability for Attempted Dog Rescue

Representative Margaret Kaiser, D-Atlanta

Pending in the House Judiciary Committee

HB 858 limits liability relative to torts for property damage caused by the rescue or attempted rescue of dogs locked in motor vehicles.