1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024)
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3 HOUSE BILL 3196 By: Newton
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to professions and occupations;
7 amending 59 O.S. 2021, Section 698.33, which relates
8 to the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act; modifying
8 veterinary training program for rural Oklahoma;
9 updating references; and declaring an emergency.
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12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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13 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 698.33, is
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14 amended to read as follows:
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15 Section 698.33 A. There is hereby established the veterinary
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16 training program for rural Oklahoma to be administered by the
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17 Oklahoma State University Center for College of Veterinary Health
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18 Sciences Medicine. The program shall be developed and implemented
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19 in order to provide encouragement, opportunities and incentives for
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20 persons pursuing a veterinary medicine degree at Oklahoma State
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21 University to locate their veterinary practice in rural Oklahoma
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22 communities, and receive specialized training targeted to meet the
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23 needs of livestock producers in rural Oklahoma communities.
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 1 B. Subject to available funds, each year the Veterinary Center
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2 College may enter into program agreements with up to three first-
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3 year five veterinary students or currently practicing large animal
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4 veterinarians with qualifying school loans, as determined by the
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5 Veterinary Center. Preference shall be given to those students and
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6 focused on large animal veterinarians veterinary medicine who are
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7 Oklahoma residents and who agree to serve in a community as
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8 described in paragraph 3 of subsection D of this section, which is
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9 determined by the Veterinary Center College to be an underserved
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10 area for the practice of veterinary medicine.
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11 C. Subject to available funds, each student or large animal
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12 veterinarian entering into a program agreement under this section
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13 shall receive assistance in an amount not to exceed Twenty Thousand
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14 Dollars ($20,000.00) per year for not more than four (4) years for
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15 tuition, books, supplies and other school expenses, and travel and
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16 training expenses incurred by the student in pursuing a veterinary
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17 medicine degree. Upon satisfaction of all commitments under the
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18 provisions of the agreement and the provisions of this section, the
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19 financial obligations pursuant to this section shall be deemed
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20 satisfied and forgiven.
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21 D. Each program agreement shall require that the person
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22 receiving the assistance:
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23 1. Complete the veterinary medicine degree program at the
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24 Veterinary Center Oklahoma State University;
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 1 2. Complete all requirements in public health, livestock
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2 biosecurity, foreign animal disease diagnosis, regulatory veterinary
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3 medicine and zoonotic disease, and an externship and mentoring
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4 requirement with a licensed, accredited veterinarian in rural
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5 Oklahoma as required by the Veterinary Center College;
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6 3. Engage in the full-time practice of veterinary medicine in
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7 any community in Oklahoma which has a population not exceeding
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8 twenty-five thousand (25,000) as determined by the most recent
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9 Federal Decennial Census at the time the person entered into the
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10 program agreement for a period of at least twelve (12) continuous
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11 months for each separate year a student receives assistance under
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12 the program, unless the obligation is otherwise satisfied as
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13 provided in this section. If, after the date a program agreement
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14 was entered into by the parties, a community no longer meets the
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15 maximum population requirements provided in this paragraph, a person
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16 engaging in the full-time practice of veterinary medicine pursuant
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17 to the program agreement shall continue to practice in that
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18 designated community; and
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19 4. Commence the full-time practice of veterinary medicine in
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20 that community within ninety (90) days after completion of the
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21 person's degree program, or if the person enters a postdegree
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22 training program, such as a graduate school or internship or
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23 residency program, within ninety (90) days after completion of the
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24 postdegree training program.
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 1 E. Upon the failure of a person to satisfy the obligation to
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2 engage in the full-time practice of veterinary medicine in
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3 accordance with the provisions of this section, that person shall
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4 repay to the Veterinary Center College, within ninety (90) days of
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5 the failure, the amount equal to the assistance provided to the
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6 person less a prorated amount based on any periods of practice of
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7 veterinary medicine meeting the requirements of this section, plus
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8 interest at the prime rate of interest plus two four percent (2%)
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9 (4%) from the date the assistance accrued. The interest shall be
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10 compounded annually.
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11 F. An obligation to engage in the practice of veterinary
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12 medicine in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be
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13 postponed during:
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14 1. Any period of temporary medical disability during which the
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15 person obligated is unable to practice veterinary medicine due to
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16 the disability; and
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17 2. Any other period of postponement agreed to or determined in
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18 accordance with criteria agreed to in the practice agreement.
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19 G. An obligation to engage in the practice of veterinary
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20 medicine in accordance with the provisions of the agreement and this
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21 section shall be satisfied:
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22 1. If the obligation to engage in the practice of veterinary
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23 medicine in accordance with the agreement has been completed;
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 1 2. If, because of permanent disability, the person obligated is
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2 unable to practice veterinary medicine; or
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3 3. The person who is obligated dies.
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4 H. The Veterinary Center College may adopt additional
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5 provisions, requirements or conditions to participate in this
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6 program as are practicable and appropriate to accomplish the
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7 provisions of the program or may be required for the implementation
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8 or administration of the program, and are not inconsistent with the
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9 provisions of this section.
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10 I. The Veterinary Center College shall not enter into any
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11 program agreements pursuant to the provisions of this section after
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12 July 1, 2025. All agreements entered into prior to such date shall
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13 be valid.
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14 SECTION 2. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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15 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
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16 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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17 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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19 59-2-9145 JL 12/29/23
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