Allowing Disaster Response Across State Lines · •Some issues can be regulated by the Federal Government, including activities that involve INTER state commerce. ¾Example: banning

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Allowing Disaster Response Across State Lines


Your Presenters

Jessica JohnsonSenior Manager, Grassroots Advocacy

Vicki DeisnerState Legislative Director, Midwest Region(IL, IN, KY, MI, OH)

Bill KetzerSenior State Legislative Director, Northeastern Region(MA, ME, NH, NY, VT)

Kevin O’NeillSenior State Legislative Director, Western Region(CA, NV, OR, WA)


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In This Presentation

1. Quick Primer: The Legislative Process

2. What is Veterinary License Mobility Legislation—and Why Is It Needed?

3. Efforts to Pass These Laws so Far

4. Advocating for Veterinary License Mobility Legislation


Quick Primer: The Legislative Process


How a Bill Becomes Law (simplified)


Indiana

State vs. Federal Legislation•Some issues can be regulated by the Federal Government, including activities that involve INTERstate commerce.

Example: banning the sale and transport of horses in interstate commerce for slaughter for human consumption

•All other issues must be regulated by the State, including anything INTRAstate.

Example: banning the use of gas chambers in animal shelters within a state; or funding spay/neuter services through pet license fees; or license to practice veterinary medicine in that state


State Legislatures

STATE HOUSE DISTRICTS

STATE SENATE DISTRICTS

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MOST STATES: 1 senator (upper house) + 1 representative (lower house)

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(Ten Easy Steps!)

1. Prepare: timing, audience

2. If in a group, devise plan

3. Introduction: constituency & role in the community

4. Start with “Thank You”

5. Discuss each bill using short talking points

Meeting Your Legislator in Person


(Ten Easy Steps!)

6. Provide fact sheets

7. Tell your story

8. Make the ask

9. Listen, offer answers or follow-ups to questions

10. End with Thank You and plan to follow up

Meeting Your Legislator in Person


Keep in mind:Chaos is the nature of the beast.

Tips for Effective Lobbying


Tips for Effective LobbyingKeep in mind:

Legislative Assistants are important.


Constituents have the power to INFLUENCE their lawmakers

.


What is Veterinary License Mobility Legislation?


What Is Veterinary License Mobility?

Veterinary License Mobility will enable veterinarians to practice across state lines during large-scale cruelty cases or natural disasters.


Why Is Veterinary License Mobility Necessary?

• In most states, current laws prohibit veterinarians from providing veterinary services unless they are licensed in that particular state – even in emergency situations.

• Veterinary License Mobility will allow animal response organizations with trained, professional veterinary teams to respond to out-of-state emergency situations when requested by local authorities or groups.

• This will give animal response teams the ability to provide proper veterinary care and construct temporary shelters for animals at the large scale often required during emergencies.


Why Is This Better Than UEVHPA?• After Katrina, model legislation was drafted called the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioner Act (UEVHPA) to help fill in the gaps in varying state licensing laws. Several states have enacted the UEVHPA.

• Provides for the interstate recognition of licenses for out-of-state veterinarians responding to declared emergencies.

• Only applies to natural disasters – not cruelty cases.


What about NVRTs?• National Veterinary Response Teams (NVRTs) provide veterinary treatment to sick or injured animals under the supervision of state or local authorities.

• Team members are temporary federal employees.

• While we sometimes work in conjunction with NVRTs, like vets working under the UEVHPA, they only respond to disasters – not cruelty cases.


How do Animal Response Teams Help Animals In Crisis?

Animal response teams are commonly called upon by state and municipal governments and other animal welfare partners to respond to:

• natural disasters

• puppy mill busts

• hoarding situations

• animal fighting interventions.


How Do Animal Response Teams Help Animals In Crisis?

• Working with law enforcement, these teams lend their expertise to ensure that animals receive top-notch preventive care, medical diagnosis, and veterinary treatment.

• By providing veterinary care and shelter, response teams minimize unknown costs to local animal welfare groups, ensuring the investigation can be completed.


What About Local Veterinarians?

• Local veterinarians are crucial to the success of emergency response teams, but relying on them too heavily is not ideal.

• Responding to emergency situations usually requires a long-term, 24/7 commitment from the response team members. Most local veterinarians do not have the ability to close their business at a moment’s notice to work as an unpaid, volunteer veterinarian.

• Veterinary License Mobility laws will in no way displace local veterinarians, and in fact their role during extended shelter care following a response is essential.


Why Are Specialized Veterinarians Necessary?

• Not all local veterinarians are trained to handle the nuances of emergency situations.

• Expertise in the specialized fields of shelter medicine, FEMA emergency management protocols, and forensic veterinary medicine is critical to a successful operation.


Efforts to Pass These Laws So Far


Hurricane Sandy


Largest NY Cockfighting Bust


Veterinary License Mobility LegislationLegislation addressing veterinary license mobility has been introduced in one state:

New York - Veterinary Emergency Response and Mobility Act of 2014 (Bill A.9786/S.7595)

• Covers both natural disasters and large scale cruelty cases.

• No opposition – supported by the NYS Veterinary Medical Society.

• Passed Assembly (lower house) but failed in Senate due to time constraints.


Veterinary License Mobility Legislation

• However, many states are considering similar legislation.

• California – The state’s current Business & Professional Code may allow out-of-state vets to respond to animal cruelty emergencies, but not natural disasters.

• Nevada – Any potential legislation will need to address the temporary licensing of vets, language for establishing temporary shelter facilities, and guidelines for the types of groups that are qualified to provide veterinary support.

• Illinois – Already recognizes valid out-of-state licenses for declared natural disasters—but not yet for large-scale animal cruelty cases


Clearing Up Concerns• Local vets will not lose business.

• Investigations and operations won’t take place without coordination with law enforcement agency (i.e. the law wouldn’t encourage undercover investigations)

• As long as the law is written correctly, these laws will not allow disreputable organizations and veterinarians to their state to practice medicine without valid licenses.


Advocating for Veterinary Mobility Legislation


Join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade!

www.aspca.org/JoinBrigade* We’ll alert you if Veterinary License Mobility *

or other animal protection legislationis introduced in your state!



Be Proactive• Ensure you are prepared for a large scale cruelty case or

natural disaster, explore in advance what avenues are available to out-of-state veterinarians willing to respond.

CONTACT US IF:

• You have encountered a need for relying on out-of-state vets for emergencies—or see it as likely future possibility

• You are a veterinarian—or a shelter employing a veterinarian—who is working on their 7th license…

• Email [email protected]

Your personal stories are compelling to legislators!



Lobbying Your State Legislators

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http://www.aspca.org/LookUp


Questions?


Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

Jessica JohnsonSenior Manager, Grassroots [email protected]

Vicki DeisnerState Legislative Director, Midwest Region(IL, IN, KY, MI, OH)[email protected]

Bill KetzerSenior State Legislative Director, Northeastern Region(MA, ME, NH, NY, VT)[email protected]

Kevin O’NeillSenior State Legislative Director, Western Region(CA, NV, OR, WA)[email protected]

Join the Advocacy Brigade:www.aspca.org/JoinBrigade






Documents

Allowing Disaster Response Across State Lines · •Some issues can be regulated by the Federal Government, including activities that involve INTER state commerce. ¾Example: banning