Public Act 0299 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB3360 Enrolled LRB104 09795 AAS 19861 b

Public Act 104-0299

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004 is amended by changing Sections 3 and 8.1 and by adding Section 29 as follows:

(225 ILCS 115/3) (from Ch. 111, par. 7003)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2029)

Sec. 3. Definitions. The following terms have the meanings indicated, unless the context requires otherwise:

"Accredited college of veterinary medicine" means a veterinary college, school, or division of a university or college that offers the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or its equivalent and that is accredited by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

"Address of record" means the designated address recorded by the Department in the applicant's or licensee's application file or license file as maintained by the Department's licensure maintenance unit.

"Accredited program in veterinary technology" means any post-secondary educational program that is accredited by the AVMA's Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities or any veterinary technician program that is recognized as its equivalent by the AVMA's Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities.

"Animal" means any animal, vertebrate or invertebrate, other than a human.

"Board" means the Veterinary Licensing and Disciplinary Board.

"Certified veterinary technician" or "veterinary technician" means a person who is a graduate of a veterinary technician program accredited by the AVMA's Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities and who has successfully passed the Veterinary Technician National Examination approved by the Board. The title "certified veterinary technician", "veterinary technician", "vet tech", or "technician" and the initials "CVT" or "VT" may only be used by persons certified by the Department. "Certified veterinary technician" means a person who is validly and currently licensed to practice veterinary technology in this State.

"Client" means an entity, person, group, or corporation that has entered into an agreement with a veterinarian for the purposes of obtaining veterinary medical services.

"Complementary, alternative, and integrative therapies" means a heterogeneous group of diagnostic and therapeutic philosophies and practices, which at the time they are performed may differ from current scientific knowledge, or whose theoretical basis and techniques may diverge from veterinary medicine routinely taught in accredited veterinary medical colleges, or both. "Complementary, alternative, and integrative therapies" includes include, but is are not limited to, veterinary acupuncture, acutherapy, and acupressure; veterinary homeopathy; veterinary manual or manipulative therapy or therapy based on techniques practiced in osteopathy, chiropractic medicine, or physical medicine and therapy; veterinary nutraceutical therapy; veterinary phytotherapy; and other therapies as defined by rule.

"Consultation" means when a veterinarian receives advice in person, telephonically, electronically, or by any other method of communication from a veterinarian licensed in this or any other state or other person whose expertise, in the opinion of the veterinarian, would benefit a patient. Under any circumstance, the responsibility for the welfare of the patient remains with the veterinarian receiving consultation.

"Department" means the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

"Direct supervision" means the supervising veterinarian is readily available on the premises where the animal is being treated.

"Email address of record" means the designated email address recorded by the Department in the applicant's application file or the licensee's license file, as maintained by the Department's licensure maintenance unit.

"Immediate supervision" means the supervising veterinarian is in the immediate area, within audible and visual range of the patient and the person treating the patient.

"Impaired veterinarian" means a veterinarian who is unable to practice veterinary medicine with reasonable skill and safety because of a physical or mental disability as evidenced by a written determination or written consent based on clinical evidence, including deterioration through the aging process, loss of motor skills, or abuse of drugs or alcohol of sufficient degree to diminish a person's ability to deliver competent patient care.

"Indirect supervision" means the supervising veterinarian need not be on the premises, but has given either written or oral instructions for the treatment of the animal and is available by telephone or other form of communication.

"Licensed veterinarian" means a person who is validly and currently licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this State.

"Patient" means an animal or group of animals that is examined or treated by a veterinarian.

"Person" means an individual, firm, partnership (general, limited, or limited liability), association, joint venture, cooperative, corporation, limited liability company, or any other group or combination acting in concert, whether or not acting as a principal, partner, member, trustee, fiduciary, receiver, or any other kind of legal or personal representative, or as the successor in interest, assignee, agent, factor, servant, employee, director, officer, or any other representative of such person.

"Practice of veterinary medicine" means to diagnose, prognose, treat, correct, change, alleviate, or prevent animal disease, illness, pain, deformity, defect, injury, or other physical, dental, or mental conditions by any method or mode, such as telemedicine, including the performance of one or more of the following:

(1) Prescribing, dispensing, administering, applying, or ordering the administration of any drug, medicine, biologic, apparatus, anesthetic, or other therapeutic or diagnostic substance, or medical or surgical technique.

(2) (Blank).

(3) Performing upon an animal a surgical or dental operation.

(3.5) Performing upon an animal complementary, alternative, or integrative therapy.

(4) Performing upon an animal any manual or mechanical procedure for reproductive management, including the diagnosis or treatment of pregnancy, sterility, or infertility.

(4.5) The rendering of advice or recommendation by any means, including telephonic and other electronic communications, with regard to the performing upon an animal any manual or mechanical procedure for reproductive management, including the diagnosis or treatment of pregnancy, sterility, or infertility.

(5) Determining the health and fitness of an animal.

(6) Representing oneself, directly or indirectly, as engaging in the practice of veterinary medicine.

(7) Using any word, letters, or title under such circumstances as to induce the belief that the person using them is qualified to engage in the practice of veterinary medicine or any of its branches. Such use shall be prima facie evidence of the intention to represent oneself as engaging in the practice of veterinary medicine.

"Secretary" means the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation.

"Supervising veterinarian" means a veterinarian who assumes responsibility for the professional care given to an animal by a person working under his or her direction in either an immediate, direct, or indirect supervision arrangement. The supervising veterinarian must have examined the animal at such time as acceptable veterinary medical practices require requires, consistent with the particular delegated animal health care task.

"Therapeutic" means the treatment, control, and prevention of disease.

"Veterinarian" means a person who is validly and currently licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this State.

"Veterinarian-client-patient relationship" means that all of the following conditions have been met:

(1) The veterinarian has assumed the responsibility for making clinical judgments regarding the health of an animal and the need for medical treatment and the client, owner, or other caretaker has agreed to follow the instructions of the veterinarian;

(2) There is sufficient knowledge of an animal by the veterinarian to initiate at least a general or preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition of the animal. This means that the veterinarian has recently seen and is personally acquainted with the keeping and care of the animal by virtue of an in-person examination of the animal or by medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal is kept, or the veterinarian has access to the patient's records and has been designated by the veterinarian with the prior relationship to provide reasonable and appropriate medical care if the veterinarian with the prior relationship is unavailable; and

(3) The practicing veterinarian is readily available for follow-up in case of adverse reactions or failure of the treatment regimen or, if unavailable, has designated another available veterinarian who has access to the patient's records to provide reasonable and appropriate medical care.

"Veterinarian-client-patient relationship" does not mean a relationship solely based on telephonic or other electronic communications.

"Veterinary medicine" means all branches and specialties included within the practice of veterinary medicine.

"Veterinary premises" means any premises or facility where the practice of veterinary medicine occurs, including, but not limited to, a mobile clinic, outpatient clinic, satellite clinic, or veterinary hospital or clinic. "Veterinary premises" does not mean the premises of a veterinary client, research facility, a federal military base, or an accredited college of veterinary medicine.

"Veterinary prescription drugs" means those drugs restricted to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian in accordance with Section 503(f) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 353).

"Veterinary specialist" means a veterinarian: (1) who has been awarded and maintains certification from a veterinary specialty organization recognized by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties; (2) who has been awarded and maintains certification from a veterinary certifying organization whose standards have been found by the Board to be equivalent to or more stringent than those of American Board of Veterinary Specialties-recognized veterinary specialty organizations; or (3) who otherwise meets criteria that may be established by the Board to support a claim to be a veterinary specialist.

"Veterinary technology" means the performance of services within the field of veterinary medicine by a person who, for compensation or personal profit, is employed by a licensed veterinarian to perform duties that require an understanding of veterinary medicine necessary to carry out the orders of the veterinarian pursuant to 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1500.48 and 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1500.60. Those services, however, shall not include diagnosing, prognosing, prescribing, or surgery.

(Source: P.A. 103-309, eff. 1-1-24; 103-505, eff. 1-1-24; revised 8-6-24.)

(225 ILCS 115/8.1) (from Ch. 111, par. 7008.1)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2029)

Sec. 8.1. Certified veterinary technician. A person who is a certified veterinary technician who performs veterinary technology contrary to this Act is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and shall be subject to the revocation of his or her certificate. However, these penalties and restrictions shall not apply to a student while performing activities required as a part of his or her training.

The Department and the Board are authorized to hold hearings, reprimand, suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew a certificate and to perform any other acts that may be necessary to regulate certified veterinary technicians in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Act applicable to veterinarians.

The title "certified veterinary technician", "veterinary technician", "vet tech", or "technician" "Certified veterinary technician" and the initials "CVT" or "VT" may only be used by persons certified by the Department. A person who uses these titles without the certification as provided in this Section is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

Certified veterinary technicians shall be required to complete continuing education as prescribed by rule to renew their certification.

(Source: P.A. 93-281, eff. 12-31-03.)

(225 ILCS 115/29 new)

Sec. 29. Display of license. Every holder of a license shall display the license or a copy of the license in a conspicuous place in the holder's principal office or any other location where the holder renders services as a veterinarian or a certified veterinary technician. Every displayed license shall have the license number visible.

Effective Date: 1/1/2026