321.441 Veterinary technician's license -- Qualifications -- Scope of practice -- Annual fee -- Exception. (1) The board shall issue a license as a veterinary technician to an applicant who: (a) Is a graduate of an accredited program of veterinary technology or its equivalent as approved by the board, with an associate or bachelor's degree related to veterinary technology; (b) Obtains a passing score on an examination as determined by the board to assess the qualifications and fitness of an applicant to engage in the practice; and (c) Has met all the requirements of the board as established by administrative regulation of the board. (2) The board shall promulgate administrative regulations defining the scope of practice of the veterinary technician as well as the delegable duties from a licensed veterinarian. (3) Each veterinary technician licensed by the board shall pay an annual fee as prescribed by the board. Each veterinary technician licensed by the board shall attend annual continuing education hours as required by the board to renew the license. Failure to renew shall result in the termination of the license. If a hearing is requested upon the rejection of an application, or upon the termination of a license, a hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the KRS 321.360. (4) The services of a licensed veterinary technician shall be limited to the performance of duties under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian, except for the routine administration of drugs, vaccines, parasite control agents, and growth stimulating implants for food animals prescribed by a veterinarian and under the indirect supervision of a veterinarian where a veterinarian-client-patient relationship exists. A licensed veterinary technician shall receive no fee or compensation for services other than salary or compensation paid by the establishment by which the licensed veterinary technician is employed. A licensed veterinary technician shall not participate in the operation of a branch office, clinic, or allied establishment unless a licensed veterinarian is on the premises. A licensed veterinary technician shall not diagnose, prescribe medication or treatment, or perform surgical procedures other than castrating and dehorning of food animals. A licensed veterinary technician may assist a veterinarian in all duties of veterinary medicine and surgery. (5) A veterinarian shall utilize the services of a licensed veterinary technician in accordance with the terms and provisions of this chapter. Unauthorized utilization of licensed veterinary technicians by veterinarians shall be considered as aiding and abetting any unlicensed person to practice veterinary medicine as described in KRS 321.351. (6) Nothing in this section shall prohibit volunteer health practitioners from providing services under KRS 39A.350 to 39A.366. Effective: July 15, 2016 History: Amended 2016 Ky. Acts ch. 116, sec. 17, effective July 15, 2016. -- Amended 2007 Ky. Acts ch. 96, sec. 20, effective June 26, 2007. -- Created 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 299, sec. 7, effective July 14, 1992. Legislative Research Commission Note (7/14/92). This statute was created in 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 299, which contains the enrolled text of Senate Bill 250. A committee substitute for this bill was adopted by the House with a floor amendment, and the Senate subsequently concurred in this action by the House; this amended substitute thus became the enrolled version of the bill. In drafting the House Committee Substitute, the original Section 10 of the bill was deleted in its entirety, but internal section references within the bill were not renumbered to reflect this deletion. Therefore, in codifying this statute, the internal section references within Acts ch. 299, sec. 7, have been changed pursuant to KRS 7.136(1).