The Arkansas House of Representatives passed their first substantive bills of the 92nd General Assembly’s regular legislative session on Tuesday. HB1124 by Rep. DeAnn Vaught (R – Horatio) establishes a veterinary technologist certification and a veterinary technician specialist certification. According to reports from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, the certifications would allow licensed veterinarians to give written or oral instructions to the technologists/technicians for treatment of an animal and must be readily available through electronic technology. The bill is to help with the shortage of large animal veterinarians according to the ADG report.
“Everyone came to the table and agreed on this bill” in the veterinary industry said Vaught from the well of the house chamber. An amendment by Rep. Jeff Wardlaw (R – Warren) will be added on the Senate side according to Vaught. The bill passed 96-0-0.
HB1013 by Rep. Justin Boyd also passed 97-0-0. That bill would require the board of podiatric medicine to adopt rules limiting the amount of schedule II narcotics that may be dispensed by licensees of the board.
It was also Forestry Day at the Arkansas Capitol.
