The Senate Committee on Commerce, Labor and Energy had a full agenda today unanimously passing four out of five bills that crossed before it. The most notable was SB17; an eight page bill entitled: An act relating to drugs; authorizing an owner of an animal to donate certain drugs for reissuance by licensed veterinarians; establishing certain requirements for the reissuance of those drugs for certain animals; authorizing the Nevada State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners to adopt regulations; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.
A long title this reporter nicknamed “the puppy drug” bill, although it relates to all domesticated pets. The gist of the bill is that it allows for the donating of certain regulated medications back to the veterinarian or pharmacy if the prescribed pet no longer utilizes the medication, so that other pet owners needing that medication can utilize it. The bill was offered by Senator Valerie Wiener of Senate District 3, who was inspired by her 14 year old cat who takes heart medications.
The bill is designed to mirror existing law which authorizes public and private mental health facilities, as well as skilled nursing facilities, correctional facilities, and facilities for intermediate care to return to the dispensing pharmacy certain prescription drugs for reissuance by a nonprofit pharmacy. The bill’s passage was supported by the Nevada State Board of Veterinary Medicine.
Currently, it is illegal for the reissuance of medications for animals. Although Governor Brian Sandoval has signed an executive order freezing many proposed administrative regulations, passage of the statute will allow for the regulation to go forward once the moratorium has been lifted.
Of the other bills passed in committee; SB19 required the most discussion. It requires an applicant for a contractor’s license or a licensed contractor to notify the State Contractors’ Board if the applicant or licensee is convicted of, or pleads guilty, guilty but mentally ill, or nolo contendre to certain crimes.
The wording of the bill seemed to leave some wiggle room as to whether or not it was designed to address contractors, or license applicants. It was determined, through discourse that the bill focuses on applicants not on licensees. Senator Elizabeth Halseth, SD9, queried as to whether the bill excludes contractors automatically, or handles each case individually. It was explained that, although a background check is run on applicants prior to issuing a license, the state may take so long to complete the licensing process that an applicant may pick up a conviction along the way.
The bill requires that the State Contractors’ Board be notified within 30 days of any conviction that occurs, and that failure to report will be grounds for disciplinary action; ranging from revocation of license to a slap on the wrist with an oral reprimand.
The two other bills passed were SB18 and SB37. SB36, which was discussed at length, was tabled for a later time so that the bill can be adjusted and presented again.
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