---
title: HB 91. Professions and businesses; licensure for graduates of foreign colleges or schools of veterinary medicine who are board certified in a specialty; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb91
cite_as: HB 91, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb91
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb91.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb91/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69430
date: 2025-03-04
status: engrossed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-12
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 611
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb91.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 91
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-03-03
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Sharon Cooper
- Kasey Carpenter
- Rick Jasperse
- Robert Dickey
- Beth Camp
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB91/2025
upstream_id: 1925793
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- veterinary licensing
- medical licensing
- foreign-trained professionals
- animal health
---
# HB 91. Professions and businesses; licensure for graduates of foreign colleges or schools of veterinary medicine who are board certified in a specialty; provide
## Text
House Bill 91 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
By: Representatives Cooper of the 45th, Carpenter of the 4th, Jasperse of the 11th, Dickey of
the 134th, and Camp of the 135th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 3 of Chapter 50 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to licensing, so as to provide for licensure for graduates of foreign colleges or
schools of veterinary medicine who are board certified in a specialty; to provide for an
exemption; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 3 of Chapter 50 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
licensing, is amended by revising Code Section 43-50-31, relating to application for license,
qualifications, and recordation of license, as follows:
"43-50-31.
(a) Any person desiring a license to practice veterinary medicine in this state shall make
application to the board. The application shall include evidence, satisfactory to the board,
that:
(1) The applicant has attained the age of 18;
(2) The applicant is of good moral character;
(3)(A) The applicant:
(i) Is is a graduate of an accredited college or a school of veterinary medicine
accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education or
possesses an ECFVG or PAVE certificate or substantial equivalent; and
(4)(ii) Has The applicant has passed a board approved examination; provided,
however, that the board may provide by rule or regulation for a waiver of any part of
such examination for veterinarians who are licensed as such by another state and who
are in good standing therewith; or
(B) The applicant:
(i) Is a graduate of a foreign college or school of veterinary medicine and has
submitted a transcript certifying completion of his or her education in veterinary
medicine. In support of such certification of completion, such graduate may submit:
(I) An ECFVG certificate or its substantial equivalent;
(II) A PAVE certificate or its substantial equivalent; or
(III) Any other document as authorized by the board; and
(ii) Has completed a residency program or similar training duration program of two
or more years and has received board certification from a veterinary medicine
specialty organization recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association,
the American Board of Veterinary Specialties, or other American Veterinary Medical
Association board approved organization; provided, however, that such applicant
upon licensure shall only be authorized to practice veterinary medicine in the area of
his or her certified veterinary medicine specialty; and provided, further, that any other
practice of veterinary medicine shall be deemed a violation of subsection (a) of Code
Section 43-50-30 and subsection (a) of Code Section 43-50-45; and
(5)(4) The applicant meets such other qualifications or provides such other information
as the board may require by rule.
(b) The application shall be accompanied by a fee in the amount established by the board.
(c) The division director shall record the new licenses and issue such licenses to the new
licensees.
(d) If an applicant is found not qualified for licensure, the board shall notify the applicant
in writing of such finding and the grounds therefor. Such applicant may request a hearing
before the board on the questions of his or her qualifications."
SECTION 2.
Said article is further amended in Code Section 43-50-44, relating to exemptions from article,
by adding a new subparagraph to paragraph (2) to read as follows:
"(2)(A) A person who is a regular student in a veterinary school or school of veterinary
technology performing duties or actions assigned by his or her instructors or working
under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian;
(B) A member of the faculty, a resident, an intern, or a graduate student of an
accredited college or school of veterinary medicine or school of veterinary technology
performing his or her regular clinical or nonclinical functions or a person lecturing or
giving instructions or demonstrations at an accredited college or school of veterinary
medicine or school of veterinary technology in connection with a continuing education
course or seminar;
(B.1) A person licensed pursuant to subparagraph (a)(2)(B) of Code Section 43-50-31
from lecturing or giving instructions or demonstrations in an area within such person's
certified veterinary medicine specialty at an accredited college or school of veterinary
medicine or school of veterinary technology and in connection with a continuing
education course or seminar; or
(C) A graduate of a foreign college or school of veterinary medicine who is in the
process of obtaining the ECFVG or PAVE certificate or substantial equivalent
performing duties or actions under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian;"
SECTION 3.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval.
SECTION 4.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
House Bill 91 would let veterinarians trained at foreign veterinary schools get licensed in Georgia if they complete a specialty residency and earn board certification, but only to practice within that specialty.
### Plain-language summary
Currently, Georgia law requires veterinarians to be licensed based on graduating from an accredited veterinary college or holding an ECFVG or PAVE certificate, plus passing a board exam. This bill adds a new path to licensure for graduates of foreign veterinary schools who have completed a residency or similar training program of two or more years and earned board certification in a veterinary specialty recognized by groups such as the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Under this new path, the veterinarian would only be allowed to practice within their certified specialty; practicing outside it would count as practicing without a license under existing Georgia law. The bill also adds an exemption letting these specialty-licensed veterinarians teach or give demonstrations in their specialty area at accredited veterinary schools as part of continuing education, without that teaching counting as unlicensed practice. The changes would take effect immediately once signed by the Governor or otherwise become law.
### What it does
- Creates a new licensing path for foreign veterinary school graduates who complete a two-plus-year residency and earn specialty board certification.
- Restricts veterinarians licensed under this new path to practicing only within their certified specialty area.
- Declares that practicing outside the certified specialty by someone licensed this way violates existing unlicensed-practice provisions (O.C.G.A. §§ 43-50-30 and 43-50-45).
- Adds an exemption allowing these specialty-licensed veterinarians to teach, lecture, or give demonstrations in their specialty at accredited veterinary schools during continuing education courses.
- Keeps the existing licensing requirements (age 18, good moral character, exam, fee) in place for all applicants.
### Who it affects
Foreign-trained veterinarians seeking Georgia licensure, especially those with specialty board certification; the state veterinary licensing board; veterinary schools that host continuing education courses; and Georgia pet owners and livestock producers who may gain access to specialty veterinary care.
### Why it matters
The bill opens a route to Georgia licensure for specialty-trained veterinarians who trained abroad, potentially increasing access to specialized veterinary care such as surgery or dermatology, while limiting those veterinarians to practicing only within their certified specialty.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 43-50-31 to add a licensing pathway for foreign veterinary school graduates with a residency of two or more years and specialty board certification.
- Section 1 limits such licensees to practicing only in their certified specialty, treating other practice as a violation of O.C.G.A. §§ 43-50-30(a) and 43-50-45(a).
- Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 43-50-44 to exempt these specialty-licensed veterinarians from unlicensed-practice rules when teaching or demonstrating in their specialty at accredited veterinary schools.
- Section 3 makes the Act effective immediately upon the Governor's signature or upon becoming law without signature.
- Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Engrossed (2025-03-03)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2025-03-04)
- Sponsors: Sharon Cooper, Kasey Carpenter, Rick Jasperse, Robert Dickey, Beth Camp
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69430
> The history, votes, and amendments (611 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb91.md?full=1