2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY - Examining Boards and Professional Colleges (§§ 1 — 6033) › Chapter 97 - Board of Examiners of Veterinary Medicine (§§ 2951 — 2969) › § 2956a - Subboard of Veterinary Technology Examiners

(a) The Subboard of Veterinary Technology Examiners of Puerto Rico, is hereby created, attached to the Board of Examiners Veterinary of Doctors constituted pursuant to this chapter.
(b) The members of the Subboard shall be designated by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate of Puerto Rico, for terms of four (4) years; Provided, That the initial designations shall be staggered by one (1), two (2) and three (3) years. The Subboard shall be composed of one veterinary technologist, one veterinary technician and one veterinary doctor, who shall be a member of the Board of Examiners of Veterinary Doctor[s]. Provided, That the veterinary technologist and veterinary technician shall be granted a license as veterinary technologist or veterinary technician, as the case may be, issued by the Department of Health. Nevertheless, the successors of the initial Subboard shall hold the license issued by the Board by virtue of this chapter. The position of Vice-President of the Subboard shall always be filled by either the veterinary technologist or the veterinary technician.
(c) The members of the Subboard shall be persons of good moral repute and shall have resided in Puerto Rico uninterruptedly for no less than three (3) years immediately preceding their appointment as members of the Subboard. No member of the Subboard shall be a stockholder or belong to the Board of Trustees or Directors of a university, college or school in which studies leading to obtaining the academic college degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Technologist or Veterinary Technician are offered, nor be or have been a member of the faculty of such institutions [for] the past five (5) years.
(d) The Subboard shall have the power and duty to:
(1) Examine and evaluate the moral and academic qualifications of each applicant for revalidation examination leading to a license to practice veterinary technology in Puerto Rico, including personal interviews with applicants.
(2) Offer revalidation examinations to veterinary technologist and veterinary technician license applicants who meet the requirements established in this chapter.
(3) Draft and approve regulations for its internal operations.
(4) Keep a permanent record of all meetings held.
(5) Also, record all the data of the applicants for a license indicating, among others, the complete name, address and basic education data. Keep a register of all persons who take the revalidation examinations and the scores obtained. Keep a register of the names, addresses and ages of all veterinary technologists and veterinary technicians that hold a license in Puerto Rico. Keep a checklist or register of all the applications for licenses submitted to the Board and of all that are designated by it.
(6) Establish in the regulations the requirements and procedures for the recertification of veterinary technologists and veterinary technicians every three (3) years.
(7) Collaborate with the Examining Board in the drafting and promulgation of regulations on the functions and responsibilities of veterinary technologists and technicians. Provided, That said functions and tasks will not include diagnosis, prognosis, prescriptions, or surgery.
(8) Evaluate and approve continuing education courses for veterinary technologists and veterinary technicians.
(9) Evaluate the evidence accrediting continuing education submitted by veterinary technologists and veterinary technicians for their recertification.
(10) Establish, by regulations, the manner that [sic] orientation regarding revalidation examinations is offered, so that the applicants may become familiar with the revalidation procedure, the rules for the administration of the examination, the type or nature of the examination, the method of evaluation of it and the regulations of the Subboard.
(11) Develop an official form for all applicants for the revalidation examination and also design another form for the recertification of veterinary technologists and veterinary technicians. Each form shall be designed taking into consideration the degree, and training of each applicant and the duties of each area of work.
(12) Sue and be sued as a juridical person.
(13) Adopt an official seal which shall be stamped on all licenses and official certifications issued by the Subboard.
(14) Investigate and hold hearings regarding to [sic] the illegal practice of veterinary technology by unlicensed persons. Provided, That for such purposes, the provisions of §§ 2101 et seq. of Title 3, known as the “Uniform Administrative Procedures Act of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico”, shall rule.
(15) The Subboard shall comply with the provisions of §§ 2101 et seq. of Title 3, known as the “Uniform Administrative Procedures Act of Puerto Rico”, when exerting the powers and adjudicating matters within its jurisdiction, inherence and concern.
(16) Present to the Governor, through the Secretary of Health, an annual report of its work.
(17) Provide and fix by regulations, the amount of the membership fees, rates, and other items to be received as collections for: applications for the revalidation examination, the information handbooks, for the revalidation examination, for re-examinations, license certifications and re-certifications, and other official duties of the subboard. Also, Provided, That the Sub-Board may, through regulations, alter or modify said fees by prudently adjust them as may be expediently necessary.
(e) The Board shall validate the decisions of the Subboard regarding the granting of licenses; Provided, That said documents shall bear both official seals.
(f) Unless otherwise specified, all the requirements and specifications of the Board shall apply to the Subboard.
History —Aug. 4, 1979, No. 194, p. 549, added as § 7 on Dec. 28, 2001, No. 187, § 7; June 22, 2002, No. 91, § 2.