2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 12 - PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS (§§ 12-1-101 — 12-315-310) › HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS (§§ 12-170-101 — 12-315-310) › Article 315 - VETERINARIANS AND VETERINARY TECHNICIANS (§§ 12-315-101 — 12-315-310) › Part 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS (§§ 12-315-101 — 12-315-126) › Section 12-315-112 - [Effective 8/7/2024] Discipline of licensees

(1)
Upon receipt of a signed complaint by a complainant or upon its own motion, the board may proceed to a hearing in accordance with section
12-315-113
. After a hearing, and by a concurrence of a majority of members, the board may take disciplinary or other action as authorized in section
12-20-404
against an applicant for a license or a licensed veterinarian for any of the following reasons:
(a)
Violation of any provision of this article 315, an applicable provision of article 20 or 30 of this title 12, or any rule or order of the board;
(b)
Violation of section
12-280-121
or any rules of the state board of pharmacy promulgated pursuant to that section;
(c)
Fraud, misrepresentation, or deception in attempting to obtain or in obtaining a license;
(d)
Fraud, deception, misrepresentation, or dishonest or illegal practices in or connected with the practice of veterinary medicine;
(e)
Misrepresentation in the inspection of food for human consumption;
(f)
Fraudulent issuance or use of any health certificate, vaccination certificate, test chart, or blank form used in the practice of veterinary medicine to prevent the dissemination of animal disease, transportation of diseased animals, or the sale of inedible products of animal origin for human consumption;
(g)
Fraud or dishonesty in the application or reporting of any test for disease in animals;
(h)
Failure to keep veterinary premises and equipment in a clean and sanitary condition;
(i)
Refusal to permit the board to inspect veterinary premises during business hours;
(j)
Use of advertising or solicitation that is false or misleading;
(k)
Incompetence, negligence, or other malpractice in the practice of veterinary medicine;
(l)
Unprofessional or unethical conduct or engaging in practices in connection with the practice of veterinary medicine that are in violation of generally accepted standards of veterinary practice as defined in this article 315 or prescribed by the rules of the board;
(m)
Willful making of any false statement as to any material matter in any oath or affidavit that is required by this article 315;
(n)
Conviction of a charge of cruelty to animals;
(o)
Conviction of a violation of the "Uniform Controlled Substances Act of 2013", article
18
of title
18
, the federal "Controlled Substances Act",
21 U.S.C. sec. 801
et seq., as amended, or the federal "Controlled Substances Import and Export Act",
21 U.S.C. sec. 951
et seq., as amended, or any of them;
(p)
Conviction of a crime in the courts of this state or of a crime in any other state, any territory, or any other country for an offense related to the conduct regulated by this part 1, regardless of whether the sentence is deferred. As used in this subsection (1)(p), "conviction" includes a plea of guilty or a plea of nolo contendere accepted by the court.
(q)
Conviction upon charges that involve the unlawful practice of veterinary medicine, and, based upon a record of the conviction, without any other testimony, the board may take temporary disciplinary action, even though an appeal for review by a higher court may be pending;
(r)
Permitting another to use the licensee's license for the purpose of treating or offering to treat sick, injured, or afflicted animals;
(s)
Practicing veterinary medicine under a false or assumed name, or impersonating another practitioner of a like, similar, or different name;
(t)
Maintenance of a professional or business connection with any other person who continues to violate any of the provisions of this article 315 or rules of the board after ten days following receipt of the board's written request for termination of the connection;
(u)
Habitual or excessive use or abuse of alcohol beverages, a habit-forming drug, or a controlled substance as defined in section
18-18-102 (5)
;
(v)
A determination that the individual is mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction and the court has entered, pursuant to part 3 or 4 of article
14
of title
15
or section
27-65-110 (4)
or
27-65-127
, an order specifically finding that the mental incompetency is of such a degree that the individual is incapable of continuing to practice veterinary medicine;
(w)
Engaging in the practice of veterinary medicine while in inactive status or while the person's license is expired;
(x)
Failing to report a known violation of any of the provisions of this section;
(y)
Administering, dispensing, distributing, or prescribing any prescription drug other than in the course of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship, except in accordance with section
12-315-105 (2)(b)
;
(z)
An act or omission that fails to meet generally accepted standards of veterinary practice;
(aa)
Practicing or performing services beyond a licensee's scope of competence;
(bb)
Engaging in any act prohibited in article
280
of this title 12;
(cc)
Failure to respond to a complaint against the licensed veterinarian;
(dd)
Failure to provide to the board an updated mailing address and other contact information as required by the board within thirty days after a change in the information;
(ee)
Failure to properly supervise a veterinary student, a veterinary student preceptor, a veterinary technician, a veterinary technician specialist, other veterinary staff, or other individuals who are performing tasks under a licensed veterinarian's supervision;
(ff)
Failure to provide a written prescription to a wholesaler within three business days after issuing an oral prescription order, as required by section
12-280-120 (3)(b)
;
(gg)
Failure to comply with terms agreed to under a confidential agreement entered into under sections
12-30-108
and
12-315-125
.
(2)
The board may send a letter of admonition to a licensee under the circumstances specified in and in accordance with section
12-20-404 (4)
.
(3)
The board may send a confidential letter of concern to the licensee under the circumstances specified in section
12-20-404 (5)
.
(4)
The record of conviction of a felony in a court of competent jurisdiction shall be sufficient evidence for the disciplinary action to be taken as may be deemed proper by the board. For the purposes of this part 1, a conviction shall be deemed to be a conviction that has been upheld by the highest appellate court having jurisdiction or a conviction upon which the time for filing an appeal has passed.
(5)
With respect to denying the issuance of a veterinary license or to taking disciplinary action against a veterinarian, the board may accept as prima facie evidence of grounds for the action any federal or state action taken against a veterinarian from another jurisdiction if the violation that prompted the disciplinary action in the jurisdiction would constitute grounds for disciplinary action under this section.
(6)
In addition to any other penalty that may be imposed pursuant to this section, any person violating this part 1 or any rules promulgated pursuant to this part 1 may be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars for any such violation.
(7)
The board may issue cease-and-desist orders under the circumstances and in accordance with the procedures specified in section
12-20-405
; except that the board may also issue a cease-and-desist order on its own motion.
(8)
The board may suspend the license of a veterinarian who fails to comply with an order of the board issued in accordance with this section. The board may impose the license suspension until the licensee complies with the board's order.
Amended by 2024 Ch. 36,§ 7, eff. 8/7/2024.
Amended by 2022 Ch. 451, § 13, eff. 8/10/2022.
Amended by 2022 Ch. 442, § 14, eff. 8/10/2022.
Renumbered from C.R.S. §
12-64-111
and amended by 2019 Ch. 136, § 1, eff. 10/1/2019.
Amended by 2016 Ch. 362, § 4, eff. 8/10/2016.
Amended by 2015 Ch. 161, § 1, eff. 5/8/2015.
Amended by 2013 Ch. 333, § 59, eff. 10/1/2013.
L. 67: R&RE, p. 363, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 145-1-12. L. 69: p. 828, § 4. L. 73: p. 1514, § 12. L. 75: (1)(z) R&RE, p. 924, § 15, effective July 14. L. 77: (1)(aa) added, p. 777, § 2, effective March 16. L. 79: (1) R&RE and (2) amended, pp. 590, 591, §§ 10, 11, effective June 15. L. 81: (1)(p), (1)(v), and (1)(y) amended, p. 736, § 16, effective July 1. L. 83: IP(1) amended, p. 596, § 5, effective July 1. L. 91: IP(1), (1)(b), (1)(c), (1)(e), (1)(i), (1)(k), (1)(n), (1)(q), and (1)(v) amended and (1)(z), (1)(aa), (1)(bb), (1)(cc), (1)(dd), (1.5), (2.5), and (4) added, pp. 1474, 1475, §§ 10, 11, effective July 1; (1)(w) added, p. 1783, § 9, effective July 1. L. 94: (1)(p) amended, p. 1632, § 35, effective May 31. L. 99: (1.5) amended, p. 620, §12, effective August 4. L. 2001: (1)(l), (1)(q), (1.5), and (3) amended, p. 477, § 5, effective July 1. L. 2004: (1)(v) amended, p. 1197, § 47, effective August 4; (1.5) and (4) amended and (5) added, p. 1859, § 119, effective August 4. L. 2006: (1.7) and (6) to (10) added, p. 818, § 43, effective July 1. L. 2010: (1)(w) amended, (SB 10 -175), ch. 188, p. 780, § 14, effective April 29. L. 2011: IP(1), (1)(c), (1)(s), (1)(v), (1)(x), (1)(y), (1)(aa), (6)(a), and (7)(a) amended, (1)(ee) to (1)(gg) and (11) added, and (3) repealed, (SB 11-091), ch. 207, pp. 890, 885, 892, §§ 10, 6, 12, 7, effective July 1. L. 2012: (1)(v) and (1)(dd) amended and (1)(hh) added, (HB 12-1311), ch. 281, p. 1595, § 4, effective July 1. L. 2013: (1)(p) amended, (SB 13-250), ch. 333, p. 1939, § 59, effective October 1. L. 2015: (1)(ii) added, (HB 15-1187), ch. 161, p. 491, § 1, effective May 8. L. 2016: (1)(a.5) added, (HB 16-1324), ch. 362, p. 1512, § 4, effective August 10.
This section is similar to former § 12-64-111 as it existed prior to 2019.
2024 Ch. 36, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).
2022 Ch. 451, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).
2022 Ch. 442, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).
This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.