SB 85

This act amends Section 34-29-61 of, and adds Sections 34-29-77.1 to, the Code of Alabama 1975, regarding practicing veterinary medicine to: (1) define the terms "animal, ""client, ""emergency, ""patient, ""telemedicine, teletriage, and ""veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR)""; (2) provide a VCPR is valid with all veterinarians within the practice where patient medical records are kept; (3) prohibit prescribing or dispensing drugs without a VCPR, establishing a VCPR solely for drug sales, and establishing a VCPR via telemedicine; (4) require VCPRs to be reestablished annually; (5) authorize veterinarians to communicate via teletriage if an emergency occurs outside of a VCPR, no VCPR has been established in the previous year, or the individual is not a client; (6) prohibit rendering a diagnosis or treatment via teletriage; and (7) authorize veterinarians to consult, issue recommendations, refer clients, and change protocols via telemedicine if the original VCPR veterinarian is unavailable."