Florida SB 1708: Education

Bill Text

1708 
Veterinary Licensure 
2026-01-09T11:01:06Z 
Deleting the requirement for an applicant for licensure by endorsement to have held a valid active license to practice veterinary medicine in another state, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the United States for a specified amount of time; requiring applicants to hold a valid, active license in good standing to practice veterinary medicine in another state, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the United States, etc. 
Original Filed Version 
2026 
S 
2026-07-01T00:00:00Z 
GB 
General Bill 
__ 

 Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1708 

 By Senator Gaetz 

 1-00917-26 20261708__ 
 1 A bill to be entitled 
 2 An act relating to veterinary licensure; amending s. 
 3 474.217, F.S.; deleting the requirement for an 
 4 applicant for licensure by endorsement to have held a 
 5 valid active license to practice veterinary medicine 
 6 in another state, the District of Columbia, or a 
 7 territory of the United States for a specified amount 
 8 of time; requiring applicants to hold a valid, active 
 9 license in good standing to practice veterinary 
 10 medicine in another state, the District of Columbia, 
 11 or a territory of the United States; reenacting s. 
 12 474.2125(1), F.S., related to temporary license to 
 13 provide veterinary services, to incorporate the 
 14 amendment made to s. 474.217, F.S., in a reference 
 15 thereto; providing an effective date. 
 16 
 17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
 18 
 19 Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 474.217, Florida 
 20 Statutes, is amended to read: 
 21 474.217 Licensure by endorsement.— 
 22 (1) The department shall issue a license by endorsement to 
 23 any applicant who, upon applying to the department and remitting 
 24 a fee set by the board, demonstrates to the board that she or 
 25 he: 
 26 (a) Has demonstrated, in a manner designated by rule of the 
 27 board, knowledge of the laws and rules governing the practice of 
 28 veterinary medicine in this state; and 
 29 (b)1. Holds, and has held for the 3 years immediately 
 30 preceding the application for licensure, a valid, active license 
 31 in good standing to practice veterinary medicine in another 
 32 state of the United States, the District of Columbia, or a 
 33 territory of the United States, provided that the applicant has 
 34 successfully completed a state, regional, national, or other 
 35 examination that is equivalent to or more stringent than the 
 36 examination required by the board; or 
 37 2. Meets the qualifications of s. 474.207(2)(b) and has 
 38 successfully completed a state, regional, national, or other 
 39 examination which is equivalent to or more stringent than the 
 40 examination given by the department and has passed the board’s 
 41 clinical competency examination or another clinical competency 
 42 examination specified by rule of the board. 
 43 Section 2. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment 
 44 made by this act to section 474.217, Florida Statutes, in a 
 45 reference thereto, subsection (1) of section 474.2125, Florida 
 46 Statutes, is reenacted to read: 
 47 474.2125 Temporary license.— 
 48 (1) The board shall adopt rules providing for the issuance 
 49 of a temporary license to a licensed veterinarian of another 
 50 state for the purpose of enabling her or him to provide 
 51 veterinary medical services in this state for the animals of a 
 52 specific owner or, as may be needed in an emergency as defined 
 53 in s. 252.34(4), for the animals of multiple owners, provided 
 54 the applicant would qualify for licensure by endorsement under 
 55 s. 474.217. No temporary license shall be valid for more than 30 
 56 days after its issuance, and no license shall cover more than 
 57 the treatment of the animals of one owner except in an emergency 
 58 as defined in s. 252.34(4). After the expiration of 30 days, a 
 59 new license is required. 
 60 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.