| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | AN ACT concerning animals. | ||||||
| 2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||||
| 3 | represented in the General Assembly: | ||||||
| 4 | Section 5. The Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice | ||||||
| 5 | Act of 2004 is amended by adding Section 8.2 as follows: | ||||||
| 6 | (225 ILCS 115/8.2 new) | ||||||
| 7 | Sec. 8.2. Rabies vaccination authority; rabies vaccination | ||||||
| 8 | certificates. | ||||||
| 9 | (a) A certified veterinary technician who has completed | ||||||
| 10 | the required 2-hour rabies vaccination continuing education | ||||||
| 11 | course may administer rabies vaccinations only under the | ||||||
| 12 | direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian, and only after | ||||||
| 13 | the supervising veterinarian has performed a physical | ||||||
| 14 | examination of the animal and determined that the animal is | ||||||
| 15 | healthy enough to receive the vaccination. | ||||||
| 16 | (b) The 2-hour rabies vaccination continuing education | ||||||
| 17 | course shall apply toward the total number of hours of | ||||||
| 18 | continuing education required by rule. This course must be | ||||||
| 19 | repeated each renewal cycle that the certified veterinary | ||||||
| 20 | technician administers the rabies vaccination. | ||||||
| 21 | (c) The rabies administration continuing education program | ||||||
| 22 | must be taught by a licensed veterinarian in good standing and | ||||||
| 23 | provided by a continuing education provider approved by the | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | Department. | ||||||
| 2 | (d) Nothing in this Section authorizes a certified | ||||||
| 3 | veterinary technician to diagnose, prognose, prescribe, | ||||||
| 4 | perform surgery, or engage in any activity prohibited under | ||||||
| 5 | this Act. | ||||||
| 6 | (e) A certified veterinary technician administering rabies | ||||||
| 7 | vaccinations under this Section remains subject to all | ||||||
| 8 | disciplinary provisions of this Act. | ||||||
| 9 | (f) A rabies vaccination certificate may be signed only | ||||||
| 10 | by: | ||||||
| 11 | (1) a licensed veterinarian who administered the | ||||||
| 12 | vaccination; or | ||||||
| 13 | (2) a certified veterinary technician who has | ||||||
| 14 | completed the required rabies vaccination continuing | ||||||
| 15 | education program during the previous renewal period and | ||||||
| 16 | administered the rabies vaccination. | ||||||
| 17 | A rabies vaccination certificate that is signed by a | ||||||
| 18 | certified veterinary technician shall also be signed by the | ||||||
| 19 | veterinarian providing direct supervision of the certified | ||||||
| 20 | veterinary technician. The professional credential of the | ||||||
| 21 | individual or individuals who sign the certificate must be | ||||||
| 22 | included with their signature. | ||||||
| 23 | (g) A copy of the current rabies vaccination continuing | ||||||
| 24 | education certificate must be on display at the locations | ||||||
| 25 | where the certified veterinary technician administers rabies | ||||||
| 26 | vaccinations. | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | (h) Any Illinois statute, administrative rule, or local | ||||||
| 2 | ordinance that restricts rabies vaccination administration or | ||||||
| 3 | certificate signing exclusively to veterinarians is amended to | ||||||
| 4 | permit Certified Veterinary Technicians who have completed the | ||||||
| 5 | required rabies vaccination continuing education course to | ||||||
| 6 | perform these functions as authorized under this Act. | ||||||
| 7 | Any reference to "rabies inoculation by a licensed | ||||||
| 8 | veterinarian only" shall be interpreted to include certified | ||||||
| 9 | veterinary technicians who have completed the required rabies | ||||||
| 10 | vaccination continuing education program acting under direct | ||||||
| 11 | supervision of a licensed veterinarian. | ||||||