Bill > SB1442

This bill directs the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners to conduct a comprehensive study on establishing veterinarian-client-patient relationships through telephone or electronic means, including audiovisual telecommunications. The board must investigate several key aspects: the availability and efficiency of synchronous audiovisual technology, the board's jurisdictional authority over veterinarians practicing remotely, the potential need for rules governing remote veterinary practices, regulations surrounding controlled substance prescriptions and agricultural animal care, and potential amendments to Chapter 801 of the Occupations Code to authorize remote veterinary relationships without physical animal examinations. The study is also specifically tasked with addressing compliance with a judicial opinion in Hines v. Pardue. By December 1, 2026, the board must submit a report to state leadership and relevant legislative committees detailing study findings and recommending potential legislative actions. The bill will take effect on September 1, 2025, and will expire on December 31, 2026, providing a structured timeline for this investigative process into modernizing veterinary medical practice regulations.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1442