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Veterinarians, national experts tell Senate committee SB 5 would weaken veterinary oversight and risk animal‑health harms
Summary
Veterinarians and national telemedicine experts told the Senate Agriculture committee that Senate Bill 5, by allowing establishment of a veterinarian–client–patient relationship electronically, would undermine in‑person exams, increase risks for antibiotic overprescribing and foreign‑animal disease, and create regulatory conflicts with federal rules; the committee heard testimony but took no vote.
Multiple veterinarians and national experts urged the Senate Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee to reject provisions of Senate Bill 5 that would allow the veterinarian–client–patient relationship, or VCPR, to be established electronically.
Dr. Paul Jenkins, a practicing veterinarian from Vilonia testifying for the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association, said, “we are against senate bill 5, because it strips the required veterinary client patient relationship from telemedicine,” and warned that removing the in‑person requirement would threaten timely care and reduce accountability. Jenkins told the committee that telemedicine often leads to an in‑person visit — "60 to 80% of the time" — and argued that electronic-only relationships could divert fees and tax revenue out of state.
Dr. Lori Teller,…
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