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Posted 14 June 2006
View legislative update (PDF)
The arrival of the summer season brings us adjournments and recesses for many state legislatures, along with several new laws:
- Rhode Island became the first state to mandate that cats over six months old must be spayed or neutered. The legislation is intended to save thousands of cats from being euthanized each year and ease crowding in animal shelters.
- South Carolina enacted a major revision of its veterinary practice act. The legislation makes client complaints public and establishes standards for emergency care and mobile facilities. It also specifies how veterinarians may delegate the performance of procedures, therapeutic options, and alternate therapies, requiring veterinarians to verify qualifications and competency, while remaining responsible for the general care of the patient.
- Vermont became the second state to allow judges to issue protective orders for pets of people trying to get out of abusive relationships. Other states are expected to pass this type of legislation in the future.
- Arizona legislation was approved exempting from the veterinary practice act certified equine dental practitioners working under the general supervision of licensed veterinarians. Both the supervising veterinarian and the equine dental practitioner must maintain dental charts.
- Florida approved legislation exempting from the practice act persons hired part-time or temporary, or as independent contractor, by an owner to assist with herd management and animal-husbandry tasks for herd and flock animals.
- Illinois has tightened restrictions on owners of dangerous and vicious dogs, including ownership by felons, running at large and dogs used for fighting.
- Maryland Gov. Ehrlich signed a bill to prohibit the possession or breeding of specified exotic animals, with certain exemptions.
- Hawaii legislation was enacted to direct the Director of Civil Defense and local organizations operating emergency shelters to make an area available to shelter domestic pets. New Hampshire legislation authorizes the appropriate state agency to prepare a plan for service animals to be evacuated in the event of an emergency, and specifies that such animals may not be separated from the persons they serve.
- California Gov. Schwarzenegger signed legislation designed to reduce the risk of pollution and harm to marine wildlife that could result if the aquaculture industry expands to the California coast. The new law requires fish-farming companies to reduce pollution and chemicals, tag all farmed fish, minimize the risk of fish escaping and return each site to its original condition after the operation is finished.
- At the request of the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, Gov. Vilsack vetoed an amendment to an appropriations bill that would have classified canines from licensed facilities as agricultural products, thereby providing commercial kennels with a sales tax exemption.
Several pending bills are also worth mentioning. For the first time, the Louisiana Senate approved a bill to ban cockfighting. The legislation now goes to the House, where further progress is not expected this year. Louisiana and New Mexico are the only states that have not banned the activity.
In the regulatory arena, the Maine Agriculture Committee is developing rules to adopt a meat purchasing policy that favors meat products produced without antibiotics, pursuant to legislation adopted in June 2005.
And in our nation's courtrooms, a judge in Oregon dismissed a large part of a $1.6 million lawsuit that is bringing national attention to the emotional issue of determining the value of family pets. The claim of loss of companionship was not allowed against a man convicted of intentionally running over his neighbor's dog. The judge allowed the jury to consider awarding punitive damages and compensation for the intentional infliction of emotional stress, but said that loss of animal companionship was not a viable theory under Oregon law.
Please continue to share your thoughts and suggestions with us regarding state legislative and regulatory affairs. The following link takes you to this month's latest bills and regulations from around the country.
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