Okla. Stat. tit. 59, § 59-698.7

The State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners shall have the

powers and it shall also be its duty to regulate the practice of

veterinary medicine. In addition to any other powers placed on it

by the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act or as otherwise provided by

law, the Board shall have the power and duty to:

1. a. set standards for licensure or certification by

examination and develop such examinations as will

provide assurance of competency to practice, and

b. employ or enter into agreements with organizations or

agencies to provide examinations acceptable to the

Board or employ or enter into agreements with

organizations or agencies to provide administration,

preparation or scoring of examinations;

2. Set fees;

3. Prescribe the time, place, method, manner, scope and

subjects of examination for licensure;

4. Prepare or select, conduct or direct the conduct of, set

minimum requirements for and assure security of licensing and other

required examinations;

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations Page 660

5. a. issue or deny licenses and certificates and renewals

thereof,

b. acquire information about and evaluate the

professional education and training of applicants for

licensure or certification; and accept or deny

applications for licensure, certification or renewal

of either licensure or certification based on the

evaluation of information relating to applicant

fitness, performance or competency to practice,

c. determine which professional schools, colleges,

universities, training institutions and educational

programs are acceptable in connection with licensure

pursuant to the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act, and

accept the approval of such facilities and programs by

American-Veterinary-Medical-Association-accredited

institutions in the United States and Canada,

d. require supporting documentation or other acceptable

verifying evidence for any information provided the

Board by an applicant for licensure or certification,

and

e. require information on an applicant's fitness,

qualification and previous professional record and

performance from recognized data sources including,

but not limited to, other licensing and disciplinary

authorities of other jurisdictions, professional

education and training institutions, liability

insurers, animal health care institutions and law

enforcement agencies;

6. Develop and use applications and other necessary forms and

related procedures for purposes of the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice

Act;

7. a. review and investigate complaints and adverse

information about licensees and certificate holders,

b. conduct hearings in accordance with the Oklahoma

Veterinary Practice Act and the Administrative

Procedures Act, and

c. adjudicate matters that come before the Board for

judgment pursuant to the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice

Act upon clear and convincing evidence and issue final

decisions on such matters to discipline licensees and

certificate holders;

8. a. impose sanctions, deny licenses and certificates and

renewals thereof, levy reimbursement costs, seek

appropriate administrative, civil or criminal

penalties or any combination of these against those

who violate examination security, who attempt to or

who do obtain licensure or certification by fraud, who

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations Page 661

knowingly assist in illegal activities or who aid and

abet the illegal practice of veterinary medicine,

b. review and investigate complaints and adverse

information about licensees and certificate holders,

c. discipline licensees and certificate holders,

d. institute proceedings in courts of competent

jurisdiction to enforce Board orders and provisions of

the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act,

e. (1) establish mechanisms for dealing with licensees

and certificate holders who abuse or are

dependent on or addicted to alcohol or other

chemical substances, and enter into agreements,
cate holders,

c. discipline licensees and certificate holders,

d. institute proceedings in courts of competent

jurisdiction to enforce Board orders and provisions of

the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act,

e. (1) establish mechanisms for dealing with licensees

and certificate holders who abuse or are

dependent on or addicted to alcohol or other

chemical substances, and enter into agreements,

at its discretion, with professional

organizations whose relevant procedures and

techniques it has evaluated and approved for

their cooperation or participation in the

rehabilitation of the licensee or certificate

holder,

(2) establish by rules cooperation with other

professional organizations for the identification

and monitoring of licensees and certificate

holders in treatment who are chemically dependent

or addicted, and

f. issue conditional, restricted or otherwise

circumscribed modifications to licensure or

certification as determined to be appropriate by due

process procedures and summarily suspend a license if

the Board has cause to believe by clear and convincing

evidence such action is required to protect public or

animal health and safety or to prevent continuation of

incompetent practices;

9. Promulgate rules of professional conduct and require all

licensees and certificate holders to practice in accordance

therewith;

10. Act to halt the unlicensed or illegal practice of

veterinary medicine and seek administrative, criminal and civil

penalties against those engaged in such practice;

11. Establish appropriate fees and charges to ensure active and

effective pursuit of Board responsibilities;

12. Employ, direct, reimburse, evaluate and dismiss staff in

accordance with state procedures;

13. Establish policies for Board operations;

14. Respond to legislative inquiry regarding those changes in,

or amendments to, the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act;

15. Act on its own motion in disciplinary matters, administer

oaths, issue notices, issue subpoenas in the name of the State of

Oklahoma including subpoenas for client and animal records, hold

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hearings, institute court proceedings for contempt or to compel

testimony or obedience to its orders and subpoenas, take evidentiary

depositions and perform such other acts as are reasonable and

necessary under law to carry out its duties;

16. Use clear and convincing evidence as the standard of proof

and issue final decisions when acting as trier of fact in the

performance of its adjudicatory duties;

17. Determine and direct Board operating, administrative,

personnel and budget policies and procedures in accordance with

applicable statutes;

18. Promulgate uniform rules such as may be necessary for

carrying out and enforcing the provisions of the Oklahoma Veterinary

Practice Act and such as in its discretion may be necessary to

protect the health, safety and welfare of the public;

19. Determine continuing education requirements. Such

continuing education shall include not less than one (1) hour of

education in pain management or one (1) hour of education in opioid

use or addiction annually, unless the licensee has demonstrated to

the satisfaction of the Board that the licensee does not currently

hold a valid federal Drug Enforcement Administration registration

number;

20. Establish minimum standards for veterinary premises;

21. Establish standards for veterinary labeling and dispensing

of veterinary prescription drugs and federal Food and Drug

Administration-approved human drugs for animals which would conform

to current applicable state and federal law and regulations;

22. Promulgate rules such as may be necessary for carrying out

and enforcing provisions relating to certification of animal

euthanasia technicians and approval of drugs to be used for

euthanasia of animals in an animal shelter pursuant to the
federal Food and Drug

Administration-approved human drugs for animals which would conform

to current applicable state and federal law and regulations;

22. Promulgate rules such as may be necessary for carrying out

and enforcing provisions relating to certification of animal

euthanasia technicians and approval of drugs to be used for

euthanasia of animals in an animal shelter pursuant to the

requirements of Section 502 of Title 4 of the Oklahoma Statutes;

23. Shall conduct a national criminal history records search

for certified animal euthanasia technicians:

a. the applicant shall furnish the Board two completed

fingerprint cards and a money order or cashier's check

made payable to the Oklahoma State Bureau of

Investigation,

b. the Board shall forward the fingerprint cards, along

with the applicable fee for a national fingerprint

criminal history records search, to the Bureau, and

c. the Bureau shall retain one set of fingerprints in the

Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) and

submit the other set to the Federal Bureau of

Investigation (FBI) for a national criminal history

records search;

24. Establish standards for animal chiropractic diagnosis and

treatment. The standards shall include but not be limited to a

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requirement that a veterinarian who holds himself or herself out to

the public as certified to engage in animal chiropractic diagnosis

and treatment shall:

a. carry at least One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) of

additional malpractice coverage to perform animal

chiropractic diagnosis and treatment, and

b. have appropriate training in animal chiropractic

diagnosis and treatment. The Veterinary Examining

Board shall have the authority to establish

educational criteria for certification standards in

animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment. The

Veterinary Examining Board shall work in conjunction

with the Board of Chiropractic Examiners to establish

comparable standards for the practice of animal

chiropractic diagnosis and treatment for both medical

professions within thirty (30) days after the

effective date of this act. The Board shall certify

any licensed veterinarian wishing to engage in animal

chiropractic diagnosis and treatment who meets the

standards established by the Board pursuant to this

paragraph. Upon request, the Board shall make

available to the public a list of licensed

veterinarians so certified;

25. Give scholarships, as determined by the Board, to an

individual advancing toward obtaining a degree in veterinary

medicine from an Oklahoma higher education institution and take such

other action as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to

effectuate the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act. The Board may, at

its discretion, contract with other state agencies and nonprofit

corporations for the endowment, management and administration of

scholarships. The requirements of such scholarships shall be

determined by the Board. However, nothing contained herein shall be

construed as requiring the Board to endow or award any scholarship;

and

26. Perform such other duties and exercise such other powers as

the provisions and enforcement of the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice

Act may require.