HOUSE FILE 92

BY  HANSON

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the investigation of complaints concerning veterinarians.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  Section 169.14, subsection 1, Code 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   1.
  a.  The board, upon its own motion or upon a verified complaint in writing, may request the department of inspections and appeals to conduct an investigation of the charges contained in the complaint. The department of inspections and appeals shall report its findings to the board, and the board may issue an order fixing the time and place for hearing if a hearing is deemed warranted. A written notice of the time and place of the hearing, together with a statement of the charges, shall be served upon the licensee at least ten days before the hearing in the manner required for the service of notice of the commencement of an ordinary action.
   b.  If the board receives a verified complaint in writing and determines not to request an investigation, the board shall promptly notify the person making such complaint of its decision. The person making such complaint may petition the board in writing to reconsider its decision within ten days of receiving that notice. The board shall consider and respond to a petition for reconsideration within twenty days. A decision not to request an investigation following a petition for reconsideration shall constitute final agency action.
EXPLANATION
   This bill creates a review process when the board of veterinary medicine decides not to investigate a veterinarian after receiving a written complaint. Currently, animal owners have no recourse with the board when it decides not to investigate. Under this bill, aggrieved animal owners may request reconsideration of the board’s decision not to investigate a veterinarian.