PETITIONS FOR RULEMAKING
Vol. 39 Iss. 6 - November 07, 2022

TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING

BOARD OF MEDICINE

Agency Decision

Title of Regulation: 18VAC85-21. Regulations Governing Prescribing of Opioids and Buprenorphine.

Statutory Authority: §§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2928.2 of the Code of Virginia.

Name of Petitioner: Todd Lacksonen.

Nature of Petitioner's Request: The petitioner requests that the Board of Medicine amend 18VAC85-21-40 to replace the requirement to co-prescribe naloxone with certain medications or conditions with a requirement to co-prescribe a federal Food and Drug Administration opioid-reversal agent.

Agency Decision: Request denied.

Statement of Reason for Decision: The Board of Medicine considered the petition at its October 6, 2022, meeting and decided to take no action at this time. The board intends to review the entire chapter devoted to opioid and buprenorphine prescribing following the issuance of new guidance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The board will include this issue as a revision to be considered along with any other changes to 18VAC85-21.

Agency Contact: William L. Harp, M.D., Executive Director, Board of Medicine, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233, telephone (804) 367-4558, or email william.harp@dhp.virginia.gov.

VA.R. Doc. No. PFR22-44; Filed October 6, 2022, 12:42 p.m.

BOARD OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

Agency Decision

Title of Regulation: 18VAC150-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Veterinary Medicine.

Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Name of Petitioner: Amber J. Lee.

Nature of Petitioner's Request: The petitioner requests that the Board of Veterinary Medicine amend 18VAC150-20-121, which provides requirements for licensure by endorsement of veterinary technicians, to remove subdivision 2 of 18VAC150-20-121 in order to accommodate technicians from other jurisdictions who may have been out of the workforce for an extended period of time.

Agency Decision: Request denied.

Statement of Reason for Decision: At its meeting on October 13, 2022, the Board of Veterinary Medicine voted to take no action on the petition. The board determined that subdivision 2 of 18VAC150-20-121 serves as a parallel requirement to clinical work performed in educational settings. Veterinary technicians can obtain licensure in other jurisdictions without the educational component Virginia requires; therefore, the board finds that the clinical component of required practice prior to issuing a license by endorsement to a veterinary technician is necessary for safety of the public.

Agency Contact: Leslie L. Knachel, Executive Director, Board of Veterinary Medicine, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233, telephone (804) 597-4130, or email leslie.knachel@dhp.virginia.gov.

VA.R. Doc. No. PFR22-29; Filed October 13, 2022, 12:13 p.m.

Agency Decision

Title of Regulation: 18VAC150-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Veterinary Medicine.

Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Name of Petitioner: Mark Cushing.

Nature of Petitioner's Request: The petitioner requests that the Board of Veterinary Medicine amend 18VAC150-20-120 to remove the requirement that applicants for licensure by endorsement have regularly engaged in clinical practice for at least two of the previous four years. The petitioner states that removing this requirement could help address veterinarian shortages and would put Virginia in line with 20 other states that do not require clinical practice for licensure by endorsement.

Agency Decision: Request denied.

Statement of Reason for Decision: At its meeting on October 13, 2022, the Board of Veterinary Medicine voted to take no action on the petition. The board recently underwent a periodic review of its regulations and determined that it would amend 18VAC150-20-121 during the implementation of the periodic review findings. The board will consider removal of the practice requirement and other license by endorsement requirements as it considers revisions for all of 18VAC150-20.

Agency Contact: Leslie L. Knachel, Executive Director, Board of Veterinary Medicine, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233, telephone (804) 597-4130, or email leslie.knachel@dhp.virginia.gov.

VA.R. Doc. No. PFR22-33; Filed October 13, 2022, 12:22 p.m.