This bill adds a new section to chapter 18.92 RCW and amends RCW 18.92.015 to set rules for veterinarian-client-patient relationships and the use of telehealth by Washington-licensed veterinarians. It takes effect July 1, 2027, and identifies the "board" as the Washington state veterinary board of governors. The law defines when a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) exists, generally requiring the veterinarian to assume responsibility for clinical judgments, sufficient knowledge to begin a diagnosis, and availability for follow-up. A physical exam within the past year is required to establish sufficient knowledge, with narrow telehealth exceptions when the animal cannot access in-person care due to substantial challenges or has an urgent condition; those telehealth exceptions must be documented and do not permit treatment beyond one year without an in-person exam. Once a VCPR is established, telehealth may be used at the veterinarian’s discretion and that relationship may extend to other veterinarians at the same premises or mobile practice entity. The bill lists telehealth services that may be provided without an established VCPR (teleadvice, emergency teletriage, limited pre-visit noncontrolled sedation prescribing, dispensing prescribed drugs from another Washington veterinarian, and poison control) and sets limits on prescribing via telehealth (no general prescriptions over three months without an in-person exam; antimicrobials and anti-inflammatories limited to 14 days without an in-person exam). It requires informed consent for telehealth, recordkeeping, review of medical history and diagnostics before telehealth care, providing the veterinarian’s contact and license information, a backup contact method, familiarity with local emergency resources, and prohibitions on claiming specialty without recognized certification. Veterinarians practicing predominantly via telehealth must certify at least 14 days (minimum 105 hours) per year of hands-on clinic practice unless telehealth is under 90% of their practice or they have more than 20 years’ experience. Technology used must comply with privacy laws. For commercial operations, the bill requires a written agreement naming a veterinarian of record responsible for drug use and treatments, sets oversight duties (protocols, training, records and inventory review, labeling, monitoring compliance and outcomes), requires at least one annual in-person visit after an initial in-person exam when telehealth is used between visits, limits drug provision to specific time frames and management groups under direct oversight, and requires compliance with federal veterinary feed directive rules. The act is primarily regulatory and procedural—creating new statutory requirements, recordkeeping duties, professional certification requirements, and prescribing limits—rather than creating new crimes or changing criminal penalties. Some text and referenced subsections and definitions are missing from the extracted material (including the full amended text of RCW 18.92.015 and certain definitions such as telemedicine and teletriage as separately defined), so a complete account of all amendments and cross-references cannot be provided from these excerpts alone.

If enacted, the law creates clear statewide rules for when vets can treat animals remotely and when an in-person exam is required, taking effect July 1, 2027. For most new diagnoses a physical exam within the past year will be required, with narrow exceptions for animals that truly cannot access care or need urgent attention; those telehealth exceptions must be documented and cannot be used to treat the same animal remotely beyond one year without an in-person exam. Remote prescribing will be limited in time (generally no more than three months without an in-person visit, and antimicrobials or anti-inflammatories limited to 14 days), vets must review and keep medical records and provide contact and license information, and vets may continue care remotely only after an appropriate veterinarian-client-patient relationship is established. The groups most affected are Washington veterinarians and their practices, which will face new paperwork, minimum hands-on practice requirements (about 14 days or 105 hours per year unless exceptions apply), and potential extra costs for arranging in-person follow-ups, emergency coverage, and the annual on-site oversight required for commercial operations. Farms, labs, shelters, and other commercial animal operations must have a veterinarian of record and meet oversight and recordkeeping duties, which could raise compliance workload and operational costs. Clients will have clearer limits on long-term remote prescriptions and more assurance about follow-up care, while pharmacies, veterinary technicians, and veterinary medication clerks are drawn into training and dispensing roles. Some implementation details and board rule specifics are not included in the provided text, so exact enforcement and exemption procedures remain unclear.