SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5157

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Agriculture, February 18, 2003

Title: An act relating to qualifications for appointment to the veterinary board of governors.

Brief Description: Changing qualifications for appointment to the veterinary board of governors.

Sponsors: Senators Morton, Rasmussen, Hewitt, Mulliken and Swecker.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Agriculture: 2/6/03, 2/18/03 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5157 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Swecker, Chair; Brandland, Vice Chair; Jacobsen, Rasmussen and Sheahan.

Staff: Evan Sheffels (786-7486)

Background: The Washington State Veterinary Board of Governors was created by the Legislature in 1959. The Governor appoints the six-member board, which includes five licensed veterinarians and one public member. No two board members may be from the same congressional district.

The board is authorized to revoke, suspend, or condition a veterinarian's license to practice in order to protect public health and animal health.

Summary of Substitute Bill: Of the six board members, at least two must be from eastern Washington. At least one of the board's five licensed veterinarians must have an active practice specializing in agricultural animals raised for commercial purposes.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: The original bill required one of the board's licensed veterinarians to be a large animal vet. The substitute instead requires one of the board's licensed vets to have a specialty in agricultural animals raised for commercial purposes.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: Vet students have increasingly moved toward small animal care, and the board reflects that. The board needs to understand large or agricultural animal issues as well, due to food safety issues, exotic animal diseases such as equine encephalitis, and related human health concerns such as West Nile virus. Perhaps the board should include an agricultural production vet rather than a "large" animal vet. This would include a vet practicing on smaller agricultural animals raised for commercial purposes.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: Matt Schmidt, DVM; Greg Hanon, WA State Veterinary Medical Assn. (pro).