We are extremely disappointed that on Saturday Texas Governor Greg Abbott decided to veto HB 1099 relating to peace officer status for the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (TBVME). (Click here to read about why TVMA supported this bill.) This veto came as a surprise since the Governor’s office was consulted throughout the entire legislative process and even expressed approval of the bill through staff to some key legislative offices. They certainly never expressed any concerns regarding the issue this session until the veto, which occurred on the day before the final day to veto bills.

The veto statement, available at this link, seemed to miss the point of the bill entirely, which was to help stop unlicensed veterinary practice on the Texas/Mexico border and in some rural areas. This is highly unlikely to be the end of this important issue, and our Board of Directors will probably reconsider this bill and other alternatives in the future. It’s up to our members to help set the legislative agenda for TVMA, and issues of unlicensed veterinary practice are still very important.

1. Be a voice for your profession. Through your role as an advocate, you will have an opportunity to represent the interests of veterinarians as new laws and regulations are brought before your profession.
2. Develop/enhance leadership skills. Take this opportunity to build consensus among a group, provide direction and influence decisions.
3. Grow professionally. Connect with colleagues and build professional relationships with talented and knowledgeable members of the profession.

Nomination forms for the North Texas District are due in the TVMA office on or before Wednesday, July 31.

In the event of a contested election, ballots will be mailed to all voting members in the district. The election process will determine the director no later than September 4; however, candidates should be prepared to attend the Board of Directors meetings on Thursday, September 26, and Friday, September 27, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. in San Antonio.

Please refer to TVMA Bylaws Article IX (https://www.tvma.org/About-TVMA/Bylaws-and-Policies) for more information about the qualifications and responsibilities of the Board of Directors. If you have any questions, contact Devorah Jakubowsky at 512-452-4224 or djakubowsky@tvma.org.

Are you looking for a solid, affordable and applicable way to supercharge your team? The Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA) is proud to present an outstanding workshop that provides a simple, cost-effective way to provide the groundwork for your entry-level personnel to become Certified Veterinary Assistants (CVAs) Level I. What a great way to motivate your workers! A motivated workforce is more productive, and higher productivity usually means higher profits.

The 86th session of the Texas Legislature has now come to a close, and some new laws have passed that will impact veterinary medicine. This video from TVMA Government Relations Director Elizabeth Choate, JD, discusses two important bills, SB1947 and HB3284, that have now been sent to the Governor. The video explains what these bills do and how/why they were able to pass and become law as well as their larger implications for veterinary practice and future legislative sessions. Please stay tuned for a more detailed written summary from TVMA relating to the entire legislative session.

The Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA) has added an afternoon Veterinary Anesthesia Monitoring 101 workshop on Sunday, June 23, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the TVMA office in Austin. This workshop is designed for veterinary assistants and technicians and will count as four hours of continuing education (CE).