South Carolina H 3223: Telehealth for Veterinary Services

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3223 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 19, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3223

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Committee Report

February 19, 2026

H. 3223

Introduced 
by Rep. Bailey 

S. Printed 2/19/26--S.

Read the first time May 1, 2025

________

The committee on Senate Medical 
Affairs

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 3223) to amend 
the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Article 5 to Chapter 69, Title 40 so 
as to provide definitions and requirements concerning the use of telehealth, 
etc., respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered 
the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

DANIEL VERDIN for Committee.

_______

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING ARTICLE 
5 TO CHAPTER 69, TITLE 40 SO AS TO PROVIDE DEFINITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS 
CONCERNING THE USE OF TELEHEALTH FOR VETERINARY SERVICES; AND BY AMENDING 
SECTION 40-69-20, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS CONCERNING THE BOARD OF VETERINARY 
MEDICAL EXAMINERS, SO AS TO REMOVE AN OBSOLETE DEFINITION.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Chapter 69, Title 40 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

Article 5

Telehealth for Veterinary Services

 Section 
40-69-510. As used in this article:

 (1) 
"Telehealth" means the overarching term that encompasses all uses of technology 
to virtually deliver medical and health information or education. Telehealth is 
not a specific service, but a collection of tools that allows for enhanced 
veterinary care and client education.

(2) "Telemedicine" means the remote practice of 
veterinary medicine through the use of telecommunications technology that 
allows a licensed veterinarian with an established veterinarian-client-patient 
relationship to evaluate and treat a patient virtually.

 Section 
40-69-520. (A) Only a veterinarian 
licensed by the board may establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship 
in this State. 

 (B) A 
veterinarian-client-patient relationship only may be established by an 
in-person, physical examination of the animal or timely visits to the premises 
where the animal is kept.

 (C) 
An established veterinarian-client-patient relationship may be maintained 
through examinations that occur using telecommunications technology in between 
appropriate in-person, physical examinations or visits to the premises where 
the patient is kept.

 Section 
40-69-530. (A)(1) A person must be 
licensed to practice veterinary medicine in this State in order to practice 
telemedicine in this State.

 (2) A 
person who is not a licensed veterinarian in this State and who uses 
telemedicine to provide veterinary services to animals and individuals 
responsible for the animals engages in the unauthorized practice of veterinary 
medicine. Such person is subject to penalties for the unauthorized practice of 
veterinary medicine provided in this chapter.

 (B) A 
licensed veterinarian shall employ sound, professional judgment when 
determining whether to provide veterinary services to a patient through 
telemedicine and shall use telemedicine only when such use is medically 
appropriate based on the patient's condition.

 (C) A 
veterinary professional shall ensure that the technology used when providing 
veterinary services through telehealth is of appropriate quality to ensure:

 (1) 
accuracy of the remote assessment of the patient's condition or behavior;

 (2) 
clear communication with clients; and

 (3) 
compliance with all relevant privacy and confidentiality requirements.

 (D)(1) A veterinary professional shall 
obtain consent from the client before providing veterinary services through 
telehealth and shall record the client's consent in the patient's medical 
record.

 (2) 
A veterinary professional using telehealth to provide veterinary services shall 
inform the client, or the client's authorized representative, of:

 (a) 
the veterinary professional's name, location, and, if applicable, license 
number and licensure status;

 (b) 
whether, in the veterinarian's professional opinion, the patient's condition 
can be accurately treated using telemedicine; and

 (c) 
the treatment options for the patient.

 Section 40-69-540. (A) 
A licensed veterinarian using telemedicine to provide veterinary services shall 
conduct all necessary patient evaluations and treatment using the applicable 
standard of care for those evaluations and treatments.

 (B) A 
licensed veterinarian shall not recommend treatment or care for an animal based 
solely on a client's responses to an online questionnaire.

 Section 
40-69-550. (A)(1) Except as 
provided in subsection (B), only a licensed veterinarian with an established 
veterinarian-client-patient relationship may prescribe