• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Conference Coverage
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

House of Delegates changes the way it approves bylaw amendments

January 31, 2012

BR>Schaumburg, Ill. - New rules regarding passage of bylaws amendments from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) now require a two-thirds vote for passage.

Schaumburg, Ill.

— New rules regarding passage of bylaw amendments from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) now require a two-thirds vote for passage.

Previously, amendments recommended for approval by the Executive Board required majority vote by the association's House of Delegates (HOD) for passage, and only those not recommended by the Executive Board required a two-thirds vote. Now, all bylaw amendments will require a two-thirds vote, regardless of whether they are put forward with the recommendation by AVMA's Executive Board.

The bylaw amendment was one of two adopted by the House of Delegates at its winter session Jan. 7.

Advertisement

The amendment was recommended for approval by the House Advisory Committee and Reference Committee, but was recommended for disapproval by the AVMA Executive Board.

A second bylaw amendment, also approved by the House of Delegates, expedites association membership for student AVMA members after graduation. The amendment was recommended for approval by the Executive Board, the House Advisory Committee and Reference Committee No. 1.

Several resolutions also were approved by HOD, including one revising AVMA’s Policy on Animal Abuse and Animal Neglect.

According to the old policy, veterinarians were expected to report animal abuse or neglect to appropriate authorities, regardless of whether they were mandated to do so by law. The AVMA Animal Welfare Committee proposed adding language to emphasize that reporting should be timely. HOD approved the resolution, which was also recommended for approval by the House Advisory Committee and the Executive Board. Reference Committee No. 2 recommended approval of an amended version of the resolution, but that version was defeated.

The second resolution adopted by HOD Jan. 7 amends AVMA’s Policy on Annual Rabies Vaccination Waiver. The AVMA Council on Public Health and Regulatory Veterinary Medicine proposed the policy and an accompanying waiver to provide an exemption from rabies vaccination in the rare event an animal experiences a contraindication to the vaccine. The council fully supports rabies vaccinations for all dogs, cats and ferrets per the recommendation from the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, says AVMA.

According to the new policy, "All rabies vaccination waivers should be reconsidered at least yearly and, if appropriate, may be renewed on an annual basis following a reassessment of the animal's condition."

HOD reference Committee No. 7 amended the proposal to state that some animals may require a waiver from rabies vaccination due to health risks or research purposes, and that amended version was adopted by the House of Delegates. The resolution was also recommended for approval by the House Advisory Committee and the Executive Board.

The final resolution passed by the HOD makes revisions to AVMA’s Model Veterinary Practice Act.

The new version of the AVMA Model Veterinary Practice Act was compiled by an AVMA task force, according to the association and presents what Chair Dr. John Scamahorn calls "a model of what AVMA feels is the best way to protect the health, safety and welfare of people and animals."The task force submitted the revised model practice act to the AVMA Executive Board in November, and the board voted to forward the document to the House of Delegates for consideration in early January.

The revised model practice act, AVMA says, includes a more descriptive definition of "animal" as meaning "any living organism, except humans, having sensation and the power of voluntary movement and requiring for its existence oxygen and organic nutrients;” and a new definition of "complementary, alternative, and integrative therapies" as meaning "a heterogeneous group of preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic philosophies and practices that are not considered part of conventional (Western) medicine as practiced by most veterinarians and veterinary technicians."

Some of the changes include commentary that veterinarians should document owner consent in the medical record and obtain the client's signature whenever possible. New subsections also clarify circumstances in which veterinarians can disclose patient information for purposes of treatment, payment or research.

The resolution was recommended for adoption by the Executive Board, the House Advisory Committee and Reference Committee No. 6, and was approved by the HOD.

Related Content:

AssociationBreaking News
Pet Advocacy Network honors outstanding contributions to the pet care community
Pet Advocacy Network honors outstanding contributions to the pet care community
Q&A with AVMA treasurer Dr Arnold L. Goldman
Q&A with AVMA treasurer Dr Arnold L. Goldman
FFAR and AAVMC are seeking applications for veterinary student research fellowships
FFAR and AAVMC are seeking applications for veterinary student research fellowships

Advertisement

Latest News

An update on copper concerns in pet foods

Dental hacks to make every case more manageable

Q&A with a keynote: Walter Brown, RVTg, VTS, ECC

News wrap-up: This week’s headlines, plus dvm360® launches its first CE podcast

View More Latest News
Advertisement