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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
veterinary medical examining board; continuation
Purpose
Continues the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board (Board) for eight years.
Background
The Board consists of nine members that include: 1) five licensed veterinarians who have an established practice location in Arizona or are employed by a university or political subdivision of Arizona and have resided and practiced in Arizona for at least five years immediately preceding appointment, with no more than three veterinarians having attended the same veterinary college; 2) two non-veterinarian members that represent the general public; 3) one non-veterinarian member that represents the livestock industry; and 4) one certified veterinary technician who has held the designation for at least five years, is currently employed in the veterinary field in Arizona and has practiced and resided in Arizona for at least five years immediately preceding appointment. Members are appointed by the Governor and serve four year terms (A.R.S. § 32-2202).
The primary duty of the Board is to protect the public from unlawful, incompetent, unqualified, impaired or unprofessional practitioners of veterinary medicine through licensure and regulation of the profession in Arizona. The Board may: 1) adopt rules that relate to the qualifications and regulation of doctors of veterinary medicine, certified veterinary technicians, veterinary premises, mobile veterinary clinics and crematories and other rules that the Board deems necessary for their administration; 2) administer and enforce rules; 3) regulate disciplinary actions; 4) grant, deny, revoke, renew and suspend licenses and certificates and the rehabilitation of licensees and certificate holders; 5) investigate charges of violations of the statutes relating to veterinarians and the Boards rules and orders; 6) prescribe the forms, content and manner of applications for licensure and certification and renewal of licensure and certification and setting deadlines for the receipt of materials required by the Board; and 7) carry out other statutorily prescribed powers (A.R.S. § 32-2207).
The Senate Natural Resources Committee of Reference (COR) held a public meeting on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, to review the Auditor General's Performance Audit and Sunset Review Report, consider the Board's responses to the statutorily outlined sunset factors and receive public testimony. The COR recommended that the Board be continued for eight years until July 1, 2034. The Board terminates on July 1, 2026, unless continued by the Legislature (A.R.S. § 41-3026.02).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Continues, retroactive to July 1, 2026, the Board until July 1, 2034.
2. Repeals the Board on January 1, 2035.
3. Contains a statement of legislative intent.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date, with a retroactive provision as noted.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 22, 2026
SB/SF/hk