New Jersey A 3305: Requires certain consumer disclosures relating to rabies testing and establishes optional training for veterinarians.

Bill Text

A3305 

ASSEMBLY, No. 3305 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman WILLIAM B. SAMPSON, IV

District 31 (Hudson)

Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblywoman� KATIE BRENNAN

District 32 (Hudson)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Tucker, Assemblyman Hutchison, Assemblywomen 
Lopez, Carter, Assemblyman Stanley, Assemblywoman Park, Assemblyman Miller, 
Assemblywomen Haider, Bagolie, Assemblyman Schnall, Assemblywoman Speight, 
Assemblyman G.Rodriguez, Assemblywoman Collazos-Gill, Assemblymen Danielsen, 
Kearney, Bhalla, Assemblywoman McCoy, Assemblyman Walker and Assemblywoman 
Sweeney

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires certain consumer disclosures relating to 
rabies testing and establishes optional training for veterinarians.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

��

An Act concerning veterinarians and rabies testing and 
amending and supplementing P.L.2021, c.436.

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 2 of P.L.2021, 
c.436 (C.26:4-86.2) is amended to read as follows: 

���� 2. a. Except as provided under 
subsection e. of this section, no rabies testing shall be performed on a dead 
domestic companion animal until the health official requiring the rabies 
testing, or the veterinarian preparing and submitting the specimen for rabies 
testing, and the owner of the animal have complied with the requirements of 
subsections b. and c. of this section.

���� b.��� Whenever it is necessary 
to test a dead domestic companion animal for rabies, prior to commencing any 
testing procedure, the health official requiring the rabies testing, or the 
veterinarian preparing and submitting the specimen for rabies testing, as applicable, 
shall provide the owner of the animal with a paper copy, and an electronic 
copy, if the owner�s electronic mail address is available, of the Department of 
Health�s VPH-35 Rabies Testing Notification Form and shall notify at the 
first opportunity the owner of the animal, if known, verbally and in writing, 
of:

���� (1) the necessity of the 
rabies testing and the reasons therefor;

���� (2) the rabies testing 
protocol to be followed;

���� (3) the protocol to be 
followed with regard to the handling of the animal's body;

���� (4) the protocol to be 
followed with regard to the disposal of the animal's body, including the 
decapitation and medical waste disposal of the animal�s head, or its return 
to the owner; and

���� (5) the protocol of 
decapitation.

���� It shall be a violation of 
P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.), subject to all remedies and penalties 
available pursuant to P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.), in addition to any 
other remedies or penalties provided by law, for a veterinarian to 
intentionally misrepresent, including through the use of euphemisms, code 
words, or otherwise, the information required to be provided pursuant to this 
subsection.� It shall be assumed that a veterinarian who intentionally 
misrepresents information pursuant to this subsection is not acting within the 
veterinary scope of practice.

���� c.���� Upon receiving the 
notification required in subsection b. of this section, the owner of the animal 
shall immediately provide, in writing, in the manner prescribed by the 
department pursuant to subsection d. of this section:

���� (1) release of the animal to 
the health official or veterinarian, as applicable, for the rabies testing, in 
accordance with the protocols to be followed pursuant to subsection b. of this 
section; and

���� (2) the owner's signature to 
acknowledge notification about the protocols and procedures to be followed 
pursuant to this section.

���� d.��� The Department of Health 
shall develop and provide on its website forms for use in providing the 
notification required pursuant to subsection b. of this section, and the 
release, and acknowledgement of notification required pursuant to subsection c. 
of this section.

���� e.���� This section shall not 
apply to rabies testing required pursuant to section 10 of P.L.1989, c.307 
(C.4:19-26) or to the handling of an impounded animal that is suspected of 
being rabid pursuant to section 16 of P.L.1941, c.151 (C.4:19-15.16).� In cases 
where a veterinarian or health official has made reasonable attempts to contact 
the owner to comply with this section and the owner is unable to be contacted 
or refuses to provide a signature, rabies testing can proceed.� When contact is 
made but a written signature or acknowledgement by the owner cannot be 
obtained, the veterinarian or health official shall document the date and time 
that verbal or electronic notification was made to the owner and keep 
this information on file for [six 
months] 
three years.

���� f.���� Nothing in this section 
shall be construed to interfere with the powers of any