Senate committee backs bill to implement Prop 129 and create veterinary professional associate role

The Colorado Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee voted unanimously to send House Bill 12‑85 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation after a day of testimony on implementing Proposition 129’s new Veterinary Professional Associate, or VPA, role.

The bill’s sponsors and witnesses said the statute is directed at filling gaps left by the ballot language and at creating guardrails for education, supervision and consumer protection while rule‑making proceeds. "The passage of Proposition 129 ... the state of Colorado will become the first in the nation, in fact, the first in the entire world, to create a new position in the veterinary workforce, the veterinary professional associate," said Senator Kipp, opening the discussion and urging coordination among Colorado State University, the State Board of Veterinary Medicine and the legislature.

Why it matters: The committee heard multiple witnesses say that the ballot initiative left key terms and regulatory details undefined and that the legislature and regulatory agencies must supplement the measure to protect animals and consumers. Supporters argued that a clear statutory framework will help potential employers, prospective students and the State Board of Veterinary Medicine (SBVM) as it drafts rules required by the initiative.

Major points from testimony

- Roles and timing: Witnesses outlined three separate roles in implementation: Colorado State University (CSU) to develop curriculum, the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) and the State Board of Veterinary Medicine to write rules and a scope of practice, and the legislature to provide statutory clarification. Sarah Warner, deputy director of policy and communications at DORA, said the agency was in an "amend" position and "takes bill implementation very seriously" while seeking further changes that could move it to neutral.

- Accreditation and education: Several veterinarians stressed the importance of national accreditation and consistent educational standards. Dr. Will French, a past president of the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), said the bill "gives much needed clarity and structure around this new profession" and argued that consistent accreditation and competency testing matter because program quality can vary. Testimony noted that CSU’s VPA master’s program won’t enroll until the fall and that the first graduates under that program would come later; witnesses warned that graduates from non‑accredited or provisional programs could pose risks unless statutory standards are set.

- Scope of practice and supervision: Witnesses and sponsors emphasized that the bill leaves the specific scope of practice to the board but would add statutory requirements around supervisory agreements and employer conduct. Dr. Austin Graham, a relief veterinarian and CVMA officer, supported a requirement for a supervisory agreement between a veterinarian and a VPA and highlighted a provision that would prohibit employers from forcing veterinarians to supervise VPAs as a condition of employment.

- Rural and large‑animal concerns: Dr. Laura Bledsoe, a large‑animal practitioner in eastern Colorado, said the proposed VPA curriculum currently emphasizes companion‑animal medicine and provides "little to no instruction in livestock and equine medicine," and urged the legislature to ensure VPAs are limited to procedures within their training to protect animal welfare, food safety and rural producers.

- Pathway for experienced technicians: Erin Henninger, executive director of the Colorado Association of Certified Veterinary Technicians, urged the committee to preserve a statutory pathway that would allow veterinary technician specialists (VTS) and similarly qualified candidates to qualify for the VPA role while CSU’s degree program ramps up.

Deadlines and implementation mechanics

Witnesses said the board’s rule‑making deadline under the initiative is January 1, 2026, and that the first students are planned for admission this fall. Several witnesses said the ballot language is vague on numerous points and that statutory clarification now would ease the board’s rule‑making process.

Committee action and next steps

Senator Pelton moved to send House Bill 12‑85 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously; the chair announced that the committee would not place the bill on the consent calendar to allow sponsors more time to finalize floor amendments. Committee members and sponsors said they expected additional amendments on the floor.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Move House Bill 12‑85 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation. - Mover: Senator Pelton. - Outcome: Passed unanimously; the chair recorded the motion as passing and the committee adjourned.

Who testified

Supporters included representatives of Humane Colorado, the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association, practicing veterinarians, the Colorado Association of Certified Veterinary Technicians, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union and other individual practitioners and educators. Sarah Warner of DORA testified in an "amend" position.

What remains unresolved

Witnesses and sponsors said the bill intentionally leaves detailed scope‑of‑practice decisions to the State Board of Veterinary Medicine but adds statutory guardrails on supervision, accreditation expectations and employer conduct. Several witnesses called for clear accreditation pathways and consumer disclosure requirements for VPAs performing clinical procedures; the committee heard that specific amendment language remained under negotiation and would be proposed on the floor.

The committee adjourned after forwarding the bill; the Committee of the Whole will take up the measure next.