State Regulatory

21 January

State by State – AVMA legislative report

wsvma   |   Legislative, State Regulatory

The following State Legislative Update includes select summaries of bills and regulations tracked by AVMA Division of State Advocacy and introduced in December and January. ENACTED Prohibitions on breed-specific bans A bill in Indiana (IN SB 18) would forbid any law or regulation from preventing an individual from owning, possessing, keeping, harboring, transporting, purchasing, or selling a breed-specific dog. Meanwhile, a bill in Missouri (MO HB 1657 / HB 1588 / SB 697) would prohibit villages, towns, and cities from regulating dogs in a breed-specific...

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14 January

Washington Legislature convenes for 2022

wsvma   |   Legislative, State Regulatory

The Washington State Legislature convened on Monday, January 10 for a 60-day legislative session. In an election year, the session is shorter than the biannual 105-day session. The focus of the first three weeks will be consideration of these bills in the policy committees. Among the bills the WSVMA is watching: Senate Bill 5753 Increasing board and commission capacities SB 5753 is brought forth by the WA State Dept. of Health to enhance the capacity of certain health profession boards and commissions....

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07 January

Updated advisory about WA Cares premiums from the Employment Security Dept.

wsvma   |   Practice Management, State Regulatory

The Legislature and Gov. Inslee have announced plans to change and improve the WA Cares Fund during the 2022 legislative session, which is scheduled to conclude in March 2022. Per direction from the governor, the WA Employment Security Dept. (ESD) will not collect premiums from employers until April 2022 or until the Legislature gives further direction. However, the existing law still directs employers to begin collecting premiums from their employees beginning Jan. 1. Each employer will need to decide whether they...

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07 January

Livestock identification proposed rulemaking

wsvma   |   Animal Health, State Regulatory

The Wash. State Dept. of Agriculture (WSDA) is proposing to amend chapter 16-610 (Livestock Identification) of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) to: Reduce the Electronic Cattle Transaction Reporting (ECTR) per head fee Allow veterinarians and field livestock inspectors certified by the WSDA to conduct inspections at public livestock markets, certified feedlots, slaughter facilities, or special sales Add a submission deadline for original proof of ownership documentation when selling branded animals through ECTR Revise language to increase clarity and readability WSDA received...

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17 December

WA Cares payroll tax delayed

wsvma   |   State Regulatory

The Seattle Times reported today that Gov. Jay Inslee and Democratic legislative leaders have agreed to put the brakes on the long-term care payroll tax while they address issues inherent to the program. Delaying the collection of taxes will give legislators time to make refinements, Inslee said. While the program is paused, employers won’t incur penalties and interest for not withholding taxes from worker wages.   Posted December 17, 2021...

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03 December

President’s Message – Defining the VCPR in a Telehealth Post-Pandemic World

wsvma   |   Practice Management, State Regulatory

Can it be that 2021 is already closing in on the holidays and almost two years since the first COVID-19 case made national news from here in Washington state? The Pandemic has simultaneously become something we are weary of hearing about from a variety of daily news media outlets and something we cannot ignore as we brace ourselves to adapt and respond to the impacts it has had on every aspect of our lives. The veterinary profession has seen rapid...

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24 September

Long Term Care insurance available for WA veterinarians and employees through AVMA Life

wsvma   |   State Regulatory

For AVMA member veterinarians who have tried to secure long-term care insurance ahead of the state’s Nov. 1, 2021 deadline but have been unsuccessful can apply for insurance through AVMA Life. Veterinary employees are also eligible to be covered by the insurance through their employers. The deadline to opt out of the program has prompted a flood of applications for new plans, and it’s caused most private insurers in Washington to stop accepting new applications. The WSVMA reached out to...

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17 September

Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference News – Board of Governors extends COVID-19 CE policy for non-live CE

wsvma   |   Continuing Education, COVID-19, State Regulatory, WSVMA News

At the start of the pandemic, the Veterinary Board of Governors approved the COVID-related policy allowing an unlimited number of non-live CE programs to count towards CE credit. At their Sept. 13, 2021 meeting, the Board approved a change to the policy that extends the allowance until 90 days after the Governor’s emergency order is rescinded. As you plan ahead to get your CE credits, consider attending the Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference. Don’t miss out on 150+ hours of high-caliber veterinary...

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17 September

Veterinary Board of Governors needs to fill two positions

wsvma   |   State Regulatory

The Department of Health, Health Systems Quality Assurance (HSQA) is accepting applications to fill two veterinarian positions on the Veterinary Board of Governors, public-spirited people willing to study the issues and to make decisions in the public’s best interest. The Veterinary Board of Governors operates under legislative mandate to: Protect the health and safety of the public. Promote the welfare of the state by regulating the competency and quality of health care providers under their authority. The Veterinary Board of Governors is...

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03 September

VBOG reminder about temporary rules

wsvma   |   State Regulatory

As a reminder, the Veterinary Board of Governors has implemented two policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic. One relates to continuing education (CE), and the other applies to current regulations on the veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR). The CE policy allows unlimited online CE, which includes live webinars and preprogrammed education. The VCPR policy is effect through the duration of the declared emergency. This policy relaxes enforcement on the current requirement to establish a VCPR through a physical exam as well as...

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