SF4069

Purpose

• Update Minnesota law to modify provisions governing the practice of veterinary medicine and veterinary technology. The changes aim to align education, licensing, and practice with modern standards, including recognition of accredited programs and clearer definitions of key terms and roles.

Main provisions

• Accreditation definitions

  • Adds definitions for an Accredited or approved college of veterinary medicine (institutions that offer the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and meet the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education standards).
  • Adds definition for an Accredited program of veterinary technology (postsecondary programs offering a veterinary technology degree or equivalent, accredited by the AVMA Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities).

• Expanded definitions (new and revised terms)

  • Animal: Defines Animal as a nonhuman mammal, bird, fish, or reptile, with poultry excluded.
  • Client: A patient’s owner, the owner’s agent, or another person presenting a patient for care.
  • Compensation: Includes all fees, monetary rewards, discounts, remuneration, and emoluments.
  • Consent: Verbal or written permission from a client to perform examinations, tests, procedures, or treatments, express or implied.
  • Consulting: Receiving advice in person, by telephone, electronically, or other methods from a licensed veterinarian or other expert to benefit the patient’s case.
  • Dispensing: Distributing veterinary drugs requiring a prescription, over-the-counter drugs for a patient, or human drugs for extralabel use, by a pharmacist or by a person licensed by the Board of Veterinary Medicine.
  • Donor: An individual 18+ who donates drugs or supplies legally (meeting certain statutory criteria) or any entity legally authorized to possess medicine in its locale (e.g., facility, wholesaler, manufacturer).
  • Emergency stabilization: Care for a life-threatening condition when immediate treatment is needed to sustain life, prevent deterioration, or alleviate suffering.
  • Extralegal use (extralegal use): Use of a human or veterinary drug in an animal that does not follow the drug’s labeling.

• Licensed veterinary technician

  • Creates the role and licensure of a Licensed veterinary technician or veterinary technician (licensed by the Board).

• Other defined terms

  • Donor (as described above), Emergency stabilization, Extralegal use, and related subdefinitions to support practice standards and consent/consulting workflows.

• Structural changes to the Statutes

  • The bill repeals several existing sections of Minnesota Statutes 2024 (or references to those sections) and proposes adding new subdivisions and codifications to Minnesota Statutes chapter 156, aligning practice definitions with the new framework.

Significant changes to existing law

• Formal recognition of accreditation standards

  • Establishes explicit reference to AVMA accreditation for veterinary colleges and for veterinary technology programs, linking licensure and practice to these recognized standards.

• Clarified scope of practice and client relationships

  • By redefining terms like Animal, Client, Consent, and Consulting, the bill clarifies who is involved in care, who can authorize procedures, and how veterinary advice and treatment are coordinated.

• New practice terms and workflows

  • Introduces Dispensing rules that bridge veterinary medicine and pharmacy practice, including procedures for prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs used for a patient, and human drugs used off-label under supervision.
  • Establishes Donor rules to govern the donation of drugs or supplies.

• Emergency and off-label use

  • Adds explicit definitions for Emergency stabilization and Extralegal (extralegal) use, creating a framework for urgent care and off-label drug use in animals when necessary.

• Licensing and professional roles

  • Adds a new licensed veterinary technician category, defining education and licensure pathways to formalize the technician workforce within veterinary clinics and hospitals.

• Repeals and codification

  • Repeals certain existing sections as part of reorganizing and modernizing the statutes, replacing them with the new definitions and framework described above.

Plain-language takeaway

• The bill modernizes Minnesota’s veterinary framework by tying education and licensure to AVMA standards, clearly defining who is involved in care and how care is delivered, and adding new categories and terms (like licensed veterinary technicians, consulting, and emergency stabilization) to support safer and more standardized veterinary practice.

Relevant Terminology - Accredited or approved college of veterinary medicine - Accredited program of veterinary technology - Animal (excluding poultry) - Client - Consent - Consulting - Dispensing - Donor - Emergency stabilization - Extralegal use (extralegal use) - Licensed veterinary technician - American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education - Minnesota Statutes chapter 156 (revisions/updates)