PROPOSED RULES
(Veterinary Board of Governors)
Original Notice.
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 01-21-133.
Title of Rule: Animal technician, WAC 246-935-070 Examination for registration as animal technician.
Purpose: This proposal will ensure the rules comply with 2000 legislation that changed "animal technician" to "veterinary technician," remove unnecessary language, and change the national exam passing criteria to the national standard.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.92.030.
Statute Being Implemented: RCW 18.92.030.
Summary: The Veterinary Technician Testing Committee has recommended to licensing boards that an individual candidate's passing status on the national exam be based on a criteria-referenced passing score established by the national exam standard setting committee. Language will be changed updating "animal technician" to "veterinary technician" to comply with 2000 legislation. Outdated language will be removed, and language will be added stating applicants must successfully complete the national exam as approved by the board.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: To comply with 2000 legislation, make rule language clearer and up to date, and change the national exam passing criteria to the recommended criterion referenced or content based score.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation and Enforcement: Karen Kelley, Program Manager, 1112 Quince Street, Olympia, WA 98504-7868, (360) 236-4876.
Name of Proponent: Department of Health, governmental.
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Explanation of Rule, its Purpose, and Anticipated Effects: WAC 246-935-070, this rule requires veterinary technician applicants to pass a national and state exam, and will assure that the public and their animals will be protected.
These proposed changes would assure that the rule is consistent with law, and will improve overall clarity.
Proposal Changes the Following Existing Rules: It changes the term "animal technician" to "veterinary technician." It removed outdated language and adds new clarifying language, and changes the passing criteria for the national examination.
A small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW.
II. What industries are affected? SIC Industry Code - 0742 Veterinary services, specialties.
Small Companies - 381 businesses and 1,783 employees.
Larger Small Companies - 195 businesses and 3,032 employees.
Average Number of employees for small companies - 4.7.
Average Number of employees for larger small companies - 15.5.
III. What are the costs? The rule is being changed to reflect the national standard for scoring of the veterinary technician examination. The Department of Health does not expect any real change in behavior or costs. The estimated cost to veterinary services or veterinary technicians due to this rule amendment is zero. Therefore, there is no cost for small business.
A copy of the statement may be obtained by writing to Karen Kelley, Program Manager, Veterinary Board of Governors, P.O. Box 47868, Olympia, WA 98504-7868, phone (360) 236-4876, fax (360) 664-9077.
RCW 34.05.328 applies to this rule adoption. The rule alters the standard for issuance of a registration.
Hearing Location: Department of Health, Creekside Three at CenterPoint, 20435 72nd Avenue South, Suite 200, Kent, WA 98032, phone (253) 395-7731, fax (253) 395-6759, on April 14, 2003, at 1:30 p.m.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact (360) 236-4841 by April 7, 2003, TDD 711.
Submit Written Comments to: Karen Kelley, Program Manager, Veterinary Board of Governors, P.O. Box 47868, Olympia, WA 98504-7868, fax (360) 664-9077, by April 1, 2003.
Date of Intended Adoption: May 15, 2003.
December 26, 2002
Karen Kelley
Program Manager
OTS-6076.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Order 353B, filed 3/30/93,
effective 4/30/93)
WAC 246-935-070
Examination for registration as
((animal)) a veterinary technician.
(1) All applicants shall
be required to successfully complete the veterinary technician
national examination as approved by the board, and the
Washington state ((veterinary technician)) examination (((a)
The national examination shall consist of questions on the
following areas: Basic sciences, animal care and
management/husbandry (including farm, pet, and research
animals) and clinical sciences (including small and large
animal patient care). The examination is designed to measure
essential job-related knowledge at the entry level.
(b) The Washington state examination shall consist of questions pertaining to laws regulating animal technicians and to laws regulating animal health care in the state.)) that consists of questions pertaining to the laws and rules regulating technicians.
(2) ((In order to pass examination for registration as an
animal technician, the applicant shall attain a minimum grade
of)) The passing criteria or score is:
(a) ((1.5 standard deviation below the national mean of
the criterion population)) Criteria-referenced passing score
on the national examination.
(b) Ninety percent on the Washington state examination.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.92.030. 93-08-029 (Order 353B), § 246-935-070, filed 3/30/93, effective 4/30/93; 91-24-098 (Order 221B), § 246-935-070, filed 12/4/91, effective 1/4/92; 91-02-060 (Order 108B), recodified as § 246-935-070, filed 12/28/90, effective 1/31/91; 88-08-033 (Order PM 719), § 308-156-060, filed 4/1/88. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.92.015 and 18.92.030. 83-19-055 (Order PL 445), § 308-156-060, filed 9/19/83. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.92.030. 80-01-069 (Order PL 332), § 308-156-060, filed 12/21/79.]