An Act To Amend the Maine Veterinary Practice Act Relating to Alternative Therapy or Collaborative Treatment
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0106
Committee: Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business
Sponsors: GUERIN, BLACK, DILL, DRINKWATER, HICKMAN, KINNEY, O'NEIL, SKOLFIELD
Amends: 32 MRSA §4853, 32 MRSA §4879

Legislative Document
No. 106
S.P. 34
In Senate, January 17, 2019
An Act To Amend the Maine Veterinary Practice Act Relating to 
Alternative Therapy or Collaborative Treatment
Reference to the Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and 
Business suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator GUERIN of Penobscot.
Cosponsored by Senators: BLACK of Franklin, DILL of Penobscot, Representatives: 
DRINKWATER of Milford, HICKMAN of Winthrop, KINNEY of Knox, O'NEIL of Saco, 
SKOLFIELD of Weld.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  32 MRSA §4853, sub-§1-B is enacted to read:
1-B.  Alternative therapy or collaborative treatment.  "Alternative therapy or 
collaborative treatment" means any therapy or treatment that is an alternative to or 
complementary to conventional medicine, including, but not limited to, acupuncture, 
dentistry, homeopathic or chiropractic procedures and physical or massage therapy.
Sec. 2.  32 MRSA §4853, sub-§4-B, as amended by PL 2015, c. 209, §5, is 
further amended to read:
4-B.  Indirect supervision.  "Indirect supervision" means any time when a supervisor 
is not on the premises but is quickly and easily available for consultation on patient care.
Sec. 3.  32 MRSA §4853, sub-§7, ¶A, as amended by PL 2015, c. 209, §7, is 
repealed and the following enacted in its place:
A.  The diagnosis, treatment, correction, change, relief or prevention of animal 
disease, deformity, defect, injury or other physical or mental condition, including:
(1)  The prescription or administration of a drug, medicine, biologic, apparatus, 
application, anesthetic or other imaging, therapeutic or diagnostic technique or 
nutritional substance or technique on, for or to any animal;
(2)  Surgery, including elective surgery; and
(3)  Any manual, mechanical, biological or chemical procedure used for 
pregnancy testing or correcting sterility or infertility;
Sec. 4.  32 MRSA §4879 is enacted to read:
§4879.  Alternative therapy or collaborative treatment
A person may not provide alternative therapy or collaborative treatment to an animal 
unless the person:
1.  License, registration or certification; education.  Holds a license, registration or 
certification issued by the entity in the State responsible for licensing, registration or 
certification for the alternative therapy or collaborative treatment or meets the educational 
requirements determined by the board through rulemaking;
2.  Referral.  Possesses a referral from a licensed veterinarian; and
3.  Supervision.  Is under the direct supervision or indirect supervision of a licensed 
veterinarian.
For the purposes of this section, "referral" means a prescription from a licensed 
veterinarian prescribing alternative therapy or collaborative treatment for an animal 
identified in the prescription.  The board shall adopt rules implementing this section.  
Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes a person to provide alternative therapy or collaborative treatment 
to an animal only if the person holds a license, registration or certification from the entity 
in the State responsible for issuing licenses, certifications or registrations for the 
alternative therapy or collaborative treatment or meets certain educational requirements, 
has a referral to provide the alternative therapy or collaborative treatment from a licensed 
veterinarian and is under the direct or indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian.  The 
bill also defines "alternative therapy or collaborative treatment" to include acupuncture, 
dentistry, homeopathic or chiropractic procedures and physical or massage therapy.