CO HB 1198

enacted

Access to Veterinary Care

Colorado · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Description

The act requires the state board of veterinary medicine (board) to review and update the existing process by which an individual who has a license to practice veterinary medicine in another state may be licensed by endorsement to practice veterinary medicine in Colorado. The board shall adopt rules with the intent to expedite the licensure by endorsement process, including eliminating duplicative requirements and streamlining the pathway to licensure. The act clarifies that a veterinarian who administers, dispenses, distributes, or prescribes medicine to a patient in an emergency situation is not acting as a pharmacist or conducting the practice of pharmacy, and, as such, is not subject to discipline by the state board of pharmacy. The act relocates certain provisions specific to the practice of veterinary medicine from regulation by the state board of pharmacy to regulation under Colorado's veterinary practice act. Under current law, the board must approve a credentialing organization for the purpose of credentialing veterinary technicians, which credentialing organization must require the completion of an American Veterinary Medical Association accredited program for veterinary technicians. The act updates the requirement to require the completion of an accredited program for veterinary technicians offered by other associations. The act also establishes a veterinary prescription drug donation program. An owner of an animal may donate unused veterinary drugs that have been prescribed to the owner to a licensed veterinarian or an animal shelter. A licensed veterinarian may use any drugs accepted through donation if the veterinarian and drugs meet certain conditions.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Introduced: 2026-02-11
Status date: —
Latest action: 2026-04-29 — Governor Signed
Bill type: bill
Last updated: —

Subjects

Professions & Occupations

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

2026-04-29
Governor Signed
executive-signature
2026-04-23
Sent to the Governor
executive-receipt
2026-04-22
Signed by the President of the Senate
passage
2026-04-22
Signed by the Speaker of the House
passage
2026-04-02
House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass
2026-04-01
House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Laid Over Daily
2026-03-31
Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
passage,reading-3
2026-03-30
Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee
reading-2
2026-03-25
Senate Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources Refer Amended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole
committee-passage
2026-03-12
Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Agriculture & Natural Resources
introduction
2026-03-09
House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
passage,reading-3
2026-03-06
House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee
2026-03-05
House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
2026-03-02
House Committee on Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole
committee-passage,referral-committee
2026-02-11
Introduced In House - Assigned to Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources
introduction

Versions

Introduced — 2026-02-11Compare
Engrossed — 2026-03-06Compare
Reengrossed — 2026-03-09Compare
Revised — 2026-03-30Compare
Rerevised — 2026-03-31Compare
Final Act — 2026-04-20Compare
Signed Act — 2026-04-29Compare
(document, no version)Compare

Documents

Votes

Adopt amendment L.005
2026-03-02 · pass · 0-0
Member-level votes (1)
- Matthew Martinez: excused
Adopt amendment L.002
2026-03-02 · pass · 0-0
Member-level votes (1)
- Matthew Martinez: excused
Refer House Bill 26-1198, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.
2026-03-02 · pass · 0-0
Member-level votes (13)
- Lori Garcia Sander: yes
- Lori Goldstein: yes
- Dusty Johnson: yes
- Mandy Lindsay: yes
- Meghan Lukens: yes
- Matthew Martinez: yes
- Lesley Smith: yes
- Katie Stewart: yes
- Tammy Story: yes
- Larry Don Suckla: yes
- Ty Winter: yes
- Tisha Mauro: yes
- Karen McCormick: yes
Adopt amendment L.004, as amended
2026-03-02 · pass · 0-0
Member-level votes (1)
- Matthew Martinez: excused
BILL
2026-03-09 · pass · 0-0
Member-level votes (65)
- Bacon: yes
- Barron: yes
- Boesenecker: yes
- Bottoms: yes
- Bradfield: yes
- Bradley: yes
- Brooks: yes
- Brown: yes
- Caldwell: yes
- Camacho: yes
- Carter: yes
- Clifford: yes
- DeGraaf: yes
- Duran: yes
- English: excused
- Espenoza: yes
- Feret: yes
- Flanell: yes
- Froelich: yes
- Garcia: yes
- Garcia Sander: yes
- Gilchrist: yes
- Goldstein: yes
- Gonzalez R.: yes
- Hamrick: yes
- Hartsook: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Joseph: yes
- Keltie: yes
- Lieder: yes
- Lindsay: yes
- Luck: yes
- Lukens: yes
- Mabrey: yes
- Marshall: yes
- Martinez: yes
- Mauro: yes
- McCormick: yes
- Nguyen: yes
- Paschal: yes
- Phillips: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Ricks: excused
- Rutinel: yes
- Rydin: yes
- Sirota: yes
- Slaugh: yes
- Smith: yes
- Soper: yes
- Stewart K.: yes
- Stewart R.: yes
- Story: yes
- Suckla: yes
- Taggart: yes
- Titone: yes
- Valdez: yes
- Velasco: excused
- Weinberg: yes
- Willford: yes
- Winter T.: yes
- Woodrow: yes
- Woog: yes
- Zokaie: yes
- McCluskie: yes
Adopt amendment L.006
2026-03-25 · pass · 0-0
Refer House Bill 26-1198, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
2026-03-25 · pass · 0-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Marc Catlin: yes
- Nick Hinrichsen: yes
- Cathy Kipp: yes
- Byron Pelton: yes
- Rod Pelton: yes
- Jessie Danielson: yes
- Dylan Roberts: yes
REPASS
2026-04-02 · pass · 0-0
Member-level votes (65)
- Bacon: yes
- Barron: yes
- Boesenecker: yes
- Bottoms: yes
- Bradfield: yes
- Bradley: yes
- Brooks: yes
- Brown: yes
- Caldwell: yes
- Camacho: yes
- Carter: yes
- Clifford: yes
- DeGraaf: yes
- Duran: yes
- English: excused
- Espenoza: yes
- Feret: yes
- Flanell: yes
- Froelich: yes
- Garcia: yes
- Garcia Sander: yes
- Gilchrist: yes
- Goldstein: yes
- Gonzalez R.: excused
- Hamrick: yes
- Hartsook: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Joseph: yes
- Keltie: yes
- Lieder: yes
- Lindsay: yes
- Luck: yes
- Lukens: yes
- Mabrey: yes
- Marshall: yes
- Martinez: yes
- Mauro: yes
- McCormick: yes
- Nguyen: yes
- Paschal: yes
- Phillips: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Ricks: yes
- Rutinel: yes
- Rydin: yes
- Sirota: yes
- Slaugh: yes
- Smith: yes
- Soper: yes
- Stewart K.: yes
- Stewart R.: yes
- Story: yes
- Suckla: yes
- Taggart: yes
- Titone: yes
- Valdez: yes
- Velasco: yes
- Weinberg: yes
- Willford: yes
- Winter T.: yes
- Woodrow: yes
- Woog: yes
- Zokaie: yes
- McCluskie: yes
CONCUR
2026-04-02 · pass · 0-0
Member-level votes (65)
- Bacon: yes
- Barron: yes
- Boesenecker: yes
- Bottoms: no
- Bradfield: yes
- Bradley: yes
- Brooks: yes
- Brown: yes
- Caldwell: yes
- Camacho: yes
- Carter: yes
- Clifford: yes
- DeGraaf: yes
- Duran: yes
- English: excused
- Espenoza: yes
- Feret: yes
- Flanell: yes
- Froelich: yes
- Garcia: yes
- Garcia Sander: yes
- Gilchrist: yes
- Goldstein: yes
- Gonzalez R.: excused
- Hamrick: yes
- Hartsook: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Joseph: yes
- Keltie: yes
- Lieder: yes
- Lindsay: yes
- Luck: no
- Lukens: yes
- Mabrey: yes
- Marshall: yes
- Martinez: yes
- Mauro: yes
- McCormick: yes
- Nguyen: yes
- Paschal: yes
- Phillips: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Ricks: yes
- Rutinel: yes
- Rydin: yes
- Sirota: yes
- Slaugh: yes
- Smith: yes
- Soper: yes
- Stewart K.: yes
- Stewart R.: yes
- Story: yes
- Suckla: yes
- Taggart: yes
- Titone: yes
- Valdez: yes
- Velasco: yes
- Weinberg: yes
- Willford: yes
- Winter T.: yes
- Woodrow: yes
- Woog: yes
- Zokaie: yes
- McCluskie: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1198

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T03:52:26.466301Z

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