ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session Majority Research Staff
	Senate: RAGE DPA 6-1-0-0 | Third Read 24-3-3-0

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SB1144: veterinary technicians; certification; education alternative

Sponsor: Senator Bolick, LD 2

Committee on Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Overview

Expands the evidence of education requirements, and the entities that can provide the evidence, needed to become a certified veterinary technician.

History

The Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board (Board) regulates the profession of veterinary medicine in Arizona. It licenses and regulates veterinarians, veterinarian medical premises and veterinary technicians.

The Board consists of nine members appointed by the Governor serving four-year terms. Five members are licensed veterinarians, one is a certified veterinary technician and three are public members. One public member represents the livestock industry (A.R.S. § 32-2202 et. seq.).

Current law requires a person desiring to be certified as a veterinary technician to:

1) apply to the Board;

2) be 18 years of age; and

3) furnish satisfactory evidence of:

a. graduation from a two-year curriculum in veterinary technology; or

b. the equivalent of such graduation in a college or other institution, as determined and approved by the Board (A.R.S. § 32-2242).

Provisions

1. Includes a nonprofit organization as an eligible entity to provide alternative graduation evidence that an applicant needs to become a certified veterinary technician. (Sec. 1)

2. Expands requirements an applicant for a veterinary technician certification must meet to include alternative conditions, consisting of:

a. a record of working for at least 4,000 hours within six years under an Arizona-licensed veterinarian;

b. a description of skills the applicant developed; and

c. the affidavit of the responsible veterinarian. (Sec. 1)

3. Designates an applicant who meets the alternative supervised work route of certification as eligible to take the veterinary technician national examination and any board-approved state examination. (Sec. 1)

4. Requires the responsible veterinarian, before beginning any supervised work, to provide the Board:

a. the name of the applicant;

b. the name of the responsible veterinarian;

c. the location the supervised work will occur; and

d. a description of the training that will be provided to the applicant. (Sec. 1)

5. Defines responsible veterinarian as an Arizona-licensed veterinarian who is responsible for:

a. the supervised work of an applicant for a certification as a veterinary technician; and

b. any veterinarians who provide direct supervision of the applicant. (Sec. 1)

c.

d.

e. ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------

f. Initials CW                SB 1144

g. 3/12/2026        Page 0 Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs

h.

i. ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------