As Passed by the Senate

136th General Assembly

Regular Session Sub. S. B. No. 60

2025-2026

Senators Wilkin, Huffman

Cosponsors: Senators Antonio, Blackshear, Brenner, Chavez, Cirino, Craig, DeMora, Gavarone, Hicks-Hudson, Ingram, Koehler, Landis, Liston, Manning, O'Brien, Patton, Reineke, Reynolds, Roegner, Romanchuk, Smith, Timken, Weinstein, Wilson

To amend section 4741.04 and to enact section 4741.041 of the Revised Code to establish requirements and procedures for veterinarian telehealth visits.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That section 4741.04 be amended and section 4741.041 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 4741.04. A veterinary-client-patient relationship serves as the basis for interaction between veterinarians, their clients, and their patients. A veterinary-client-patient relationship exists when all of the following conditions have been met:

(A) A veterinarian assumes responsibility for making clinical judgments regarding the health of a patient and the need for medical treatment, medical services, or both for the patient, and the client has agreed to follow the veterinarian's instructions regarding the patient.

(B) The veterinarian has sufficient knowledge of the patient to initiate at least a general or preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition of the patient. In order to demonstrate that the veterinarian has sufficient knowledge, the veterinarian shall have seen the patient recently and also shall be acquainted personally with the keeping and care of the patient either by examining doing any of the following:

(1) Examining the patient or by making in person;

(2) Examining the patient in real time via telehealth services in accordance with section 4741.041 of the Revised Code;

(3) Making medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the patient is kept.

(C) The veterinarian is readily available for a follow-up evaluation, or has arranged for emergency coverage, in the event the patient suffers adverse reactions to the treatment regimen or the treatment regimen fails.

Sec. 4741.041. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Human food product" means livestock raised for human consumption or livestock whose products are used for human consumption.

(2) "Livestock" means porcine animals, bovine animals, caprine animals, ovine animals, and poultry.

(3) "Tele-advice" means the provision of any health information, opinion, or guidance by a veterinary professional that is not intended to diagnose, treat, issue certificates of veterinary inspection, or issue prognoses of the physical or behavioral illness or injury of an animal or issue. A veterinarian-client-patient relationship as required under section 4741.04 of the Revised Code is not required to provide tele-advice.

(B) A licensed veterinarian may conduct the practice of veterinary medicine via telehealth services if all of the following apply:

(1) The veterinarian obtains the informed consent from the client, including an acknowledgement that the standards of care prescribed by this chapter equally apply to in-person and telehealth visits. The veterinarian shall maintain documentation of the consent for at least three years after receiving the informed consent.

(2) The veterinarian provides the client with the veterinarian's name and contact information and secures an alternate means of contacting the client if the telehealth visit is interrupted. Following the telehealth visit, the veterinarian shall make available to the client an electronic or written record of the visit. The electronic or written record shall include the veterinarian's license number.

(3) Before conducting an evaluation of a patient via a telehealth visit, the veterinarian advises the client of all of the following:

(a) The veterinarian may ultimately recommend an in-person visit with the veterinarian or another licensed veterinarian;

(b) The veterinarian is prohibited under federal law from prescribing certain drugs or medications based only on a telehealth visit;

(c) The appointment for a telehealth visit may be terminated at any time.

(C) A licensed veterinarian may prescribe drugs or medications after establishing a veterinary-client-patient relationship via telehealth services, except that all of the following apply:

(1) The veterinarian may issue an initial prescription for not more than fourteen days. The veterinarian may issue one refill for not more than fourteen days if the veterinarian sees the patient for another telehealth visit. For additional refills, the patient shall visit the veterinarian in person.

(2) The veterinarian shall notify the client that certain prescription drugs or medications may be available at a pharmacy and, if requested, the veterinarian will submit a prescription to a pharmacy of the client's choosing;

(3) The veterinarian shall not order, prescribe, or make available a controlled substance, as defined in section 3719.01 of the Revised Code, unless the veterinarian has performed an in-person physical examination of the patient.

(D)(1) Except as provided in division (D)(2) of this section, a licensed veterinarian whose client is engaged in the raising of livestock for human food products may not use telehealth services for those livestock unless the veterinarian has established a veterinary-client-patient relationship in person with respect to those livestock prior to the use of telehealth services.

(2) A licensed veterinarian whose client is engaged in the raising of livestock for human food products may conduct tele-advice services for those livestock prior to the veterinarian establishing a veterinary-client-patient relationship in person with the client.

(E) Division (D) of this section applies to the extent permitted under federal law.

(F) Nothing in this section shall be construed to invalidate or overrule the provisions of Chapter 956. of the Revised Code.

(G) For purposes of this section, the practice of veterinary medicine occurs in the state in which the patient is located.

Section 2. That existing section 4741.04 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.