Under the act, nothing in the provisions of current law governing the practice of veterinary medicine shall prohibit any person qualified as a livestock reproductive specialist, as defined in th act, from acting under indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian while performing advanced reproductive technologies on livestock.

It is considered the practice of veterinary medicine to use any invasive procedure to remove an oocyte from an animal for the purpose of transplanting a fertilized oocyte into another female animal. It is not considered the practice of veterinary medicine for a livestock reproductive specialist trained in advanced reproductive technologies to remove an embryo or oocyte from livestock for the purpose of transplanting such embryo into another female livestock animal or for the purpose of cryopreserving such embryo, or to implant such embryo into a livestock animal while under indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

A supervisor is responsible and liable for the acts and omissions of a livestock reproductive specialist working under his or her supervision.

Nothing in the act shall be construed to relieve a livestock reproductive specialist from any of their own acts or omissions.

A person with certain academic credentials and having membership in certain organizations, as described in the act, may provide advanced reproductive technologies to livestock under supervision of a licensed veterinarian. A person with such academic credentials, who is not a member of a nationally recognized organization that acknowledges persons performing embryo transfer or vitro fertilization, may qualify as a livestock reproductive specialist by examination and upon successful certification examination may provide advanced reproductive technologies to livestock under supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

The act creates the "Certification Examination Committee" with membership requirements described in the act. A term of appointment of each member shall be for four years and shall not exceed two terms.

The certification examination and continuing education of livestock reproductive specialists shall be approved by the Committee, as described in the act.

KATIE O'BRIEN