Board of Veterinary Medicine public meetings in 2024

Board of Veterinary Medicine

The Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine will consider its proposed FY2026 budget, an audit report, and updates to rules on professional conduct and veterinary practice. The board will also review several licensing and applicant matters, including waiver requests for the NAVLE exam. The meeting is open to the public, with written comments accepted 48 hours in advance.

• Proposed budget for FY 2026
• Rule updates: LAC 46LXXXV.1007 (professional conduct) and LAC 46LXXXV.700 (veterinary practice)
• Review of licensing procedures (LAC 46LXXXV.301, 801, 1201)
• Licensing issues: review of Dr. Robert Tiller's license renewal, requests for inactive status by four DVMs
• Applicant issues: five NAVLE retake waiver requests

The Board unanimously approved the proposed FY 2026 budget and the purchase of a $50,000 six-month CD. Members also ratified several professional opinions regarding licensing and practice standards and approved various license status changes.

• Approved proposed budget for FY 2026 (unanimous)
• Approved purchase of $50,000 six-month CD with EFCU (unanimous)
• Ratified 11 professional opinions on practice and licensing (unanimous)
• Approved 22 new licenses and certificates issued between 09/22 and 11/19 (unanimous)
• Approved expanded continuing education subject matter for CAETs to include shelter management (unanimous)
• Approved inactive retired status for Kimberly Greene, Mica Landry, and Verlin Jones (unanimous)
• Approved inactive disabled status for Joseph Strother, Jr. (unanimous)
• Approved NAVLE retake waivers for Larkspur Carroll, Adam Handy, Bobbie Kirsch, and Margaret Wixson (unanimous)

Board of Veterinary Medicine

The Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine will hold a regular meeting to approve minutes, review financial reports, and discuss several rulemaking projects. The board will also consider requests for inactive retired status, NAVLE retake waivers, and enter executive session for legal strategy discussions on litigation and non-licensee practice.

• Approval of minutes from August 1, 2024
• Financial reports for July & August 2024 and FY2024 annual fiscal report
• Rulemaking updates on zoo personnel, peer assistance, continuing education, and professional conduct
• Eight requests for inactive retired status from DVMs
• Ten waiver requests for NAVLE or VTNE retake

The Board approved several rulemaking processes, including a change to reduce application validity from two years to one year. It also ratified 34 new licenses and granted multiple NAVLE exam waivers. Financial reports and the FY2024 annual fiscal report were accepted.

• Approved reducing licensure application validity from two years to one year
• Approved moving forward with rulemaking for Chapter 7 Veterinary Practice
• Approved 34 new licenses and certificates (unanimous)
• Approved NAVLE retake waivers for Loren Kempf, Robert Simpson, Justin McCormick, Kelsey Bailey, and Laken Russell
• Approved VTNE retake waiver for Annamarie Marziliano
• Approved Inactive Retired status for 7 DVMs
• Set maximum employee wage increase at 7% for FY2026 budget
• Approved 10 online CE hours for Dr. Brandi Sandstrom

Board of Veterinary Medicine

The Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine will consider financial reports, a contract amendment for the online state exam, and several rulemaking projects. The board will also hear licensing issues, including a denial appeal for a veterinarian with five failed NAVLE attempts and a waiver request. Executive session will cover litigation updates and legal strategies.

• Contract review – Amendment to AAVSB Contract for Online LA State Exam
• Rulemaking updates on continuing education, professional conduct, and veterinary practice
• Darren Schilling, DVM – Request for CE exemption/extension for active military duty
• Cole Tarzetti, DVM – Application denial due to five unsuccessful NAVLE attempts
• Danielle Lavoie – Application denial due to five unsuccessful VTNE attempts

The Board denied licensure for two applicants who exceeded the five-attempt limit for national exams. The Board also ratified several regulatory opinions regarding veterinary care standards and approved the FY2024 amended budget.

• Denied licensure application for Cole Tarzetti, DVM (unanimous)
• Denied licensure application for Danielle Lavoie (unanimous)
• Approved waiver of NAVLE retake for Abraham Jonatan, DVM (unanimous)
• Approved FY2024 final amended budget (unanimous)
• Approved AAVSB contract amendment lowering exam fees to $50 (unanimous)
• Reduced application validity period from two years to one year (unanimous)
• Exempted Darren Schilling, DVM from CE requirements due to military duty (unanimous)
• Ratified opinions on VCPR, RVT supervision, and human chiropractors (unanimous)

Board of Veterinary Medicine

The Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine will hold a regular meeting to approve minutes, review financial reports and contracts (including legal counsel and peer assistance program), discuss rule updates on electronic meetings, continuing education, and professional conduct, and consider consent agenda opinions on rabies vaccines, telehealth, and marijuana testing. The board will also hold an executive session on litigation and legal strategy.

• Contract review with Thibaut, Thibaut, & Vogt (legal counsel) and HPFLA (peer assistance program)
• Rulemaking updates on electronic meetings (LAC 46LXXXV.103) and continuing education (Chapter 4)
• Consent agenda opinions on 3-year rabies vaccine acceptance in Livingston Parish and telehealth consults
• Administrative hearings on cases #24-0206 and #24-1130 (proposed consent orders)
• Executive session on civil litigation (LBVM vs. O. Nyzhnyk and Pelican Institute vs. LBVM)

The Board elected new leadership effective August 1, 2024, and approved contract renewals for legal counsel, the Peer Assistance Program, and the DOJ's Occupational Licensing Review Program. The Board also issued disciplinary actions, including a $4,000 total penalty for one licensee and the indefinite suspension of another.

• Elected Dr. Larry Findley Sr. (President), Dr. Christine McHughes (VP), and Dr. Jesse Brandon (Secretary-Treasurer) for FY2025
• Approved contract renewal for Healthcare Professionals’ Foundation of Louisiana (approx. $30,000 annually)
• Approved renewed legal contract with Thibaut, Thibaut, & Vogt, LLC for a three-year term if permitted by LA OSP
• Approved participation in DOJ’s Occupational Licensing Review Program for FY2025
• Approved $1,847.14 purchase for new computer hardware
• Approved rulemaking for Veterinary Practice (Chapter 7) and repromulgation of Chapters 9 and 13
• Fined licensee $2,000 and required $2,000 investigation reimbursement for unethical conduct and malpractice
• Denied licensure application for Allison Searcy due to five unsuccessful national exam attempts

Board of Veterinary Medicine

The Board will review financial reports, contract updates for the ICVA NAVLE, and several rulemaking projects regarding professional conduct and veterinary practice. The meeting also includes discussions on administrative hearings and specific waiver requests for veterinary technicians and doctors.

• ICVA NAVLE Contract update (May 1, 2024 to April 30, 2027)
• Rulemaking updates for professional conduct and veterinary practice
• Waiver requests for VTNE and NAVLE retakes
• Administrative hearings for cases #23-0609, #24-0725, #24-1018, #24-1130, and #21-0406
• Executive session updates on civil litigation involving O. Nyzhnyk and Pelican Institute

Board of Veterinary Medicine

The Louisiana Board of Veterinary Medicine will hold a regular meeting to discuss and decide on several rulemaking projects, including electronic meetings, continuing education, and professional conduct. The board will also consider accreditation status of a vet tech program, licensure questions, and waiver requests for the NAVLE exam. Executive session will cover updates on civil litigation and legal strategy against unlicensed practice.

• Rulemaking projects on electronic meetings (LAC 46LXXXV.103), continuing education (Chapter 4), and professional conduct (Chapter 10)
• Discussion on accreditation status of NTCC Vet Tech Program
• Waiver requests for NAVLE retake from three DVM applicants (Jeffrey Toman, Allison Shull, Kanyon McLean)
• Executive session updates on civil litigation: LBVM vs. O. Nyzhnyk and Pelican Institute vs. LBVM
• Financial reports for November and December 2023 and investment decisions for FY 2024

The Board denied the NTCC veterinary technical program as an approved pathway for licensure. It also approved amendments to the Rules of Professional Conduct and issued a Consent Order involving a surgical standard of care violation.

• Denied NTCC veterinary technical program as a Board-approved pathway for licensure (unanimous)
• Approved final amendments to Rules of Professional Conduct §1007, §1025, §1039, §1053.C, and §1057 (unanimous)
• Approved repromulgation of non-amended Chapter 10 sections (unanimous)
• Approved $75,000 6-month CD purchase from ECFU (unanimous)
• Approved Consent Order for Case #24-0912.1: $500 fine, $2,000 investigation reimbursement, and 3 hours of CE (unanimous)
• Approved 90-day CE extension for Ashley A. Davidson, DVM (unanimous)
• Approved NAVLE retake waivers for Jeffrey Toman, Allison Shull, and Kanyon McLean (unanimous)
• Ratified 74 new licenses and certificates issued between 11/16/23 and 01/19/24 (unanimous)