KANSAS VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
816 S.W. Tyler, Suite 200
Topeka, Kansas 66612-1635
Tel: (785) 233-4141
Fax: (785) 233-2534

March 21, 2007

Senate Judiciary Committee

Re: HB 2530: An Act concerning consumer protection, relating to health care providers, amending K.S.A. 50-635 and repealing existing section

Mr. Chairman and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, my name is Gary Reser. I am executive vice president of the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association.

The KVMA represents the Kansas veterinary profession through legislative, regulatory, education, information, and public awareness programs. The KVMA has more than 600 members in Kansas and almost 400 members in all other states.

The KVMA supports HB 2530 and respectfully requests that you vote "yes" for passage.

Veterinarians comprise the only profession trained in multi-species comparative medicine and provide an extraordinary link between animal diseases, human diseases, bio-terrorism agents, and food safety and security.

Veterinarians take an oath to "use their scientific knowledge and skills to benefit society, promote public health, and advance medical knowledge."

Public health veterinarians play a crucial role in the investigation, diagnosis, prevention, and control of infectious diseases in local, state, and federal agencies, and research institutions. Private practitioners, tending to individual patients or large herds, are a first line of defense against animal diseases or bioterrorism.

Veterinarians involved in food supply practice are involved in public health by protecting food production from conception to slaughter. These practitioners must be knowledgeable of food animal production methods, disease diagnoses, proper use of pharmaceuticals, proper slaughter procedures, food handling, and food safety.

Of course, it is also prudent to take time to consider the vital place of veterinarians in the vibrant Kansas agricultural economy. The profession certainly adds integrity and credibility to Kansas' food animal production.

In addition, Kansas veterinarians are already held accountable for standards of professional conduct and subject to disciplinary action for unprofessional conduct in a number of Kansas and federal statutes.

Most of the statutory or regulatory provisions relating to Kansas physicians mentioned by Justice Davis in his dissenting opinion in Williamson v. Amrani, about why physicians should not be subject to the Kansas Consumer Protection Act, can be cross-referenced to many similar statutory and regulatory provisions governing Kansas veterinarians.

For all of these reasons, the KVMA respectfully urges you to vote "yes" on HB 2530.

Thank you.

Testimony
House Judiciary Committee
3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 1
Room 313 South

Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, my name is Greg Dennis and I am legal counsel for the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association. The KVMA represents the Kansas veterinary profession through legislative, regulatory, education, information, and public awareness programs. The KVMA has more than 600 members in Kansas and almost 400 members in all other states.

The KVMA is here today to respectfully request that you include veterinarians in the provisions of H. B. 2530 and then vote "yes" for its passage.
Veterinarians comprise the only profession trained in multi species comparative medicine and provide an extraordinary link between animal diseases, human diseases , bio terrorism agents, and food safety and security. Veterinarians take an oath to "use their scientific knowledge and skills to benefit society, promote public health, and advance medical knowledge."

Public health veterinarians play a crucial role in the investigation, diagnosis, prevention, and control of infectious diseases in local, state, and federal agencies, and research institutions. Private practitioners, tending to individual patients or large herds, are a first line of defense against animal diseases or bio terrorism.

Veterinarians involved in food supply practice are involved in public health by protecting food production from conception to slaughter. These practitioners must be knowledgeable of food animal production methods, disease diagnoses, proper use of pharmaceuticals, proper slaughter procedures, food handling, and food safety.

Of course, it is also prudent to take time to consider the vital place of veterinarians in the vibrant Kansas agricultural economy. The profession certainly adds integrity and credibility to Kansas’ food animal production.

In addition, Kansas veterinarians are already held accountable for standards of professional conduct and subject to disciplinary action for unprofessional conduct in a number of Kansas and federal statutes as outlined in the attachment to this testimony.
For all of these reasons, the KVMA respectfully urges you amend H.B. 2530 to include veterinarians and then vote "yes" for its passage.

Thank you.

Greg Dennis
Legal Counsel
Kansas Veterinary Medical Association

Testimony
House Taxation Committee
9:00 a.m. Thursday, February 1

My name is Gary Reser and I am executive vice president of the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association (KVMA). The KVMA represents the Kansas veterinary profession and is composed of over 600 members in Kansas and almost 400 members in all other states.

The KVMA supports HB 2102 and respectfully requests that you vote "yes" for passage.

HB 2102 provides a Kansas income tax credit for veterinarians at the rate of $30 per hour, after an initial 30 hours a year, for each hour donated to a non profit community service organization.

The credit shall not exceed $2000 per taxable year per veterinarian.

It is safe to say that the hundreds of Kansas veterinarians, who contribute thousands of hours each year to various community service organizations dealing with the care and treatment of companion animals, would be appreciative of the assistance provided to them by HB 2102.

HB 2102 might very well cause veterinarians who already generously and unselfishly donate their time and expertise to community service organizations to participate even more and provide incentive to some veterinarians who do not take part in such activities at this time.

Volunteering at local humane shelters, providing free vaccinations, donating veterinary diagnostic and surgical duties, and offering spay/neuter services for low income families and feral cat caretakers are only scratching the surface on the types of contributions made for the public good by veterinarians all over Kansas.

One veterinarian told me yesterday that she was amazed when she learned from her accountant that there was not already a tax credit for the hundreds of hours she has spent volunteering her time. It did not, however, prevent her from continuing her service organization duties.

Another veterinarian told me the community service organization he serves on a volunteer basis always tells him that, of course, he can receive a tax credit for his work. He knows he really can't, but continues to assist them as always.

Once again, please vote "yes" on HB 2102.

Thank you!

Gary Reser
Kansas Veterinary Medical Association

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