Measure Would Benefit Underserved; Reduce Numbers of Stray Cats & Dogs
Legislation Assembly members Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Gordon M. Johnson and Albert Coutinho sponsored to allow physicians and veterinarians to earn continuing education credits for providing free medical and veterinary services has been signed into law.
“Doctors and vets should be able to earn continuing education credits for the services they provide every day,” said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen). “Allowing them to do so will help them stay at the top of their game while providing much needed medical services to those residents who otherwise would not have access to them.”
Under the Vainieri Huttle/Johnson/Coutinho bill (A-928/S-515) the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners (BME) and the New Jersey Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (BVME) would be given discretion to determine an appropriate level of required continuing education and the authority to allow volunteer services to offset up to 10 percent of that continuing education requirement.
“Requiring the continuing education credits to be earned through volunteer services is a win-win,” said Johnson (D-Bergen). “Doctors and vets receive the credits they need to stay current and licensed and underserved communities gain access to services they otherwise would not be able to obtain.”
“Incentivizing a necessary service helps New Jersey communities and the doctors and vets who serve them,” said Coutinho (D-Essex). “It provides a way to keep residents without insurance healthy and provides necessary hands-on training for doctors and veterinarians.”
The bill, with some changes made through a conditional veto by the governor, recently passed the Assembly 77-1-1 and the Senate 38-0.