Bill Sponsors
J. Brien, Solomon, Baginski, Serpa, and Lima
Committee
House Corporations
Summary
Select
This legislation updates Rhode Island's veterinary practice laws to explicitly authorize veterinary telemedicine. It allows veterinarians to establish a client-patient relationship using real-time, audiovisual technology rather than requiring an initial in-person visit. The bill outlines specific requirements, including obtaining client consent, maintaining records, and adhering to the same standards of care as in-person visits. It limits telemedicine prescriptions to a 30-day supply with one renewal before a physical exam is required and prohibits prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine. Additionally, providers must post their services and fees on their websites.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Increases access to veterinary care for individuals with limited mobility, transportation barriers, or those living in rural areas, ensuring that pets in low-income households can receive timely medical advice.
- Mandates price transparency by requiring veterinary telemedicine providers to display services and standard charges on their websites, protecting consumers from surprise costs and exploitative pricing.
- Potentially reduces the financial burden on working-class families by offering a likely lower-cost alternative to in-person emergency visits for minor animal health issues or consultations.
Cons for Progressives
- May exacerbate the digital divide, as pet owners without reliable high-speed internet or smart devices will be unable to access these convenient services, potentially widening health disparities for animals in poor households.
- Could lead to a "corporate takeover" of veterinary care where large telemedicine chains prioritize high-volume, impersonal video calls over the thorough care provided by local, community-based veterinarians.
- The strict limit on prescriptions (30 days) might create logistical hurdles and gaps in care for lower-income individuals who struggle to schedule and pay for the required in-person follow-up exams.
Pros for Conservatives
- Reduces government barriers to trade by modernizing regulations, allowing veterinarians to utilize technology to expand their business reach and operate more efficiently in the free market.
- Empowers consumers with greater choice and flexibility in how they manage the health of their animals, reducing the burden of mandatory physical travel for routine advice.
- Promotes competition and market efficiency through the requirement of price transparency, allowing consumers to shop for the best value in veterinary services.
Cons for Conservatives
- Imposes government overreach on private businesses by mandating that they must display a "consumer-friendly" description of services and standard charges on their websites.
- Creates potential liability and safety risks by allowing a medical relationship to be established without a physical examination, which could undermine traditional professional standards.
- While controlled substances are restricted, remote prescribing still introduces a potential vector for fraud or abuse if the identity of the animal or owner is not rigorously verified in person.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Veterinarians
- Pet Owners
- Livestock Owners
- Veterinary Technicians
- Online Veterinary Services
Towns Affected
All
Cost to Taxpayers
None
Revenue Generated
None
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Regulatory
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Clarity of Bill Language
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Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
• 01/09/2026 Introduced, referred to House Corporations
Bill Text
SECTION 1. Section 5-25-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-25 entitled "Veterinary Practice" is hereby amended to read as follows:
5-25-2. Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
(1) “Animal” means any animal other than humans and includes, by way of illustration, not limitation, fowl, birds, fish, livestock, and reptiles, wild or domestic, living or dead.
(2) “Department” means the Rhode Island department of health.
(3) “Director” means the director of the Rhode Island department of health.
(4) “Division” means the division of professional regulation within the department of health established in chapter 26 of this title.
(5) “Veterinarian” means a person whopractices is licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the State of Rhode Island.
(6) “Veterinarian/client/patient relationship” means a relationship where all of the following conditions have been met:
(i) The veterinarian has assumed the responsibility for making medical judgments regarding the health of the animal or animals and the need for medical treatment, and the client has agreed to follow the instructions of the veterinarian;
(ii) The veterinarian has sufficient knowledge of the animal or animals to initiate at least a general or preliminary (e.g. tentative) diagnosis of the medical condition of the animal or animals. This means that the veterinarian has recently seen and is personally acquainted with the keeping and care of the animal or animals, and/or by medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal or animals are kept, or obtained current knowledge of the animal through a video- based telecommunication medium, subject to the limitations and requirements of § 5-25-18;
(iii) The veterinarian is readily available for follow-up in cases of adverse reactions or failure of the regimen of therapy; and
(iv) The veterinarian maintains records that document patient visits, diagnosis, treatment, and other relevant information.
(7) “Veterinary dentistry” means that part of veterinary science that deals with the prevention and treatment of diseases, developmental conditions, and injuries of the teeth, gums, and oral cavity in animals.
SECTION 2. Chapter 5-25 of the General Laws entitled "Veterinary Practice" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
5-25-18. Veterinary telemedicine client-patient relationship.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, regulation or rule to the contrary, a veterinarian may establish a client-patient relationship in Rhode Island through synchronous, audiovisual electronic means, subject to the limitations and requirements set forth in subsection (b) of this section.
(b) Before establishing a veterinarian client-patient relationship through electronic means, a veterinarian shall:
(1) Be licensed to practice veterinary medicine pursuant to this chapter;
(2) Obtain from the client verbal consent to establish the veterinarian client-patient relationship through electronic means, including an acknowledgement that the same standards of care under state law and regulations apply to telehealth and in-person visits; and
(3) Maintain such documentation for at least one year.
(c) A veterinarian shall practice in a manner consistent with the prevailing professional standard of practice for a veterinarian who provides in-person veterinary services to patients in this state and shall employ sound professional judgment to determine whether using veterinary telehealth is an appropriate method for delivering medical advice or treatment to the patient.
(d) Veterinarians may prescribe after establishing a virtual veterinary client-patient relationship under the following conditions·
(1) Prescriptions based on a virtual veterinary client-patient relationship shall be issued initially for no more than thirty (30) days and shall not be renewed for more than thirty (30) days without an additional virtual or in-person examination. LC003494 - Page 2 of 4
(2) A prescription renewed once and based upon only virtual examinations shall not be renewed again without an in-person examination.
(3) A veterinarian may not prescribe a controlled substance as defined in § 5-19.1-2 unless the veterinarian has conducted an in-person examination of the animal or made medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal or group of animals is kept.
(e) Services provided through veterinary telemedicine are subject to this state's laws and regulations governing the veterinary provider's scope of practice.
(f) Each telemedicine provider shall disclose to consumers a description of services and standard charges in a consumer-friendly display that is easily accessible on the provider's website.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
5-25-2. Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
(1) “Animal” means any animal other than humans and includes, by way of illustration, not limitation, fowl, birds, fish, livestock, and reptiles, wild or domestic, living or dead.
(2) “Department” means the Rhode Island department of health.
(3) “Director” means the director of the Rhode Island department of health.
(4) “Division” means the division of professional regulation within the department of health established in chapter 26 of this title.
(5) “Veterinarian” means a person who
(6) “Veterinarian/client/patient relationship” means a relationship where all of the following conditions have been met:
(i) The veterinarian has assumed the responsibility for making medical judgments regarding the health of the animal or animals and the need for medical treatment, and the client has agreed to follow the instructions of the veterinarian;
(ii) The veterinarian has sufficient knowledge of the animal or animals to initiate at least a general or preliminary (e.g. tentative) diagnosis of the medical condition of the animal or animals. This means that the veterinarian has recently seen and is personally acquainted with the keeping and care of the animal or animals, and/or by medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal or animals are kept, or obtained current knowledge of the animal through a video- based telecommunication medium, subject to the limitations and requirements of § 5-25-18;
(iii) The veterinarian is readily available for follow-up in cases of adverse reactions or failure of the regimen of therapy; and
(iv) The veterinarian maintains records that document patient visits, diagnosis, treatment, and other relevant information.
(7) “Veterinary dentistry” means that part of veterinary science that deals with the prevention and treatment of diseases, developmental conditions, and injuries of the teeth, gums, and oral cavity in animals.
SECTION 2. Chapter 5-25 of the General Laws entitled "Veterinary Practice" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
5-25-18. Veterinary telemedicine client-patient relationship.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, regulation or rule to the contrary, a veterinarian may establish a client-patient relationship in Rhode Island through synchronous, audiovisual electronic means, subject to the limitations and requirements set forth in subsection (b) of this section.
(b) Before establishing a veterinarian client-patient relationship through electronic means, a veterinarian shall:
(1) Be licensed to practice veterinary medicine pursuant to this chapter;
(2) Obtain from the client verbal consent to establish the veterinarian client-patient relationship through electronic means, including an acknowledgement that the same standards of care under state law and regulations apply to telehealth and in-person visits; and
(3) Maintain such documentation for at least one year.
(c) A veterinarian shall practice in a manner consistent with the prevailing professional standard of practice for a veterinarian who provides in-person veterinary services to patients in this state and shall employ sound professional judgment to determine whether using veterinary telehealth is an appropriate method for delivering medical advice or treatment to the patient.
(d) Veterinarians may prescribe after establishing a virtual veterinary client-patient relationship under the following conditions·
(1) Prescriptions based on a virtual veterinary client-patient relationship shall be issued initially for no more than thirty (30) days and shall not be renewed for more than thirty (30) days without an additional virtual or in-person examination. LC003494 - Page 2 of 4
(2) A prescription renewed once and based upon only virtual examinations shall not be renewed again without an in-person examination.
(3) A veterinarian may not prescribe a controlled substance as defined in § 5-19.1-2 unless the veterinarian has conducted an in-person examination of the animal or made medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal or group of animals is kept.
(e) Services provided through veterinary telemedicine are subject to this state's laws and regulations governing the veterinary provider's scope of practice.
(f) Each telemedicine provider shall disclose to consumers a description of services and standard charges in a consumer-friendly display that is easily accessible on the provider's website.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.