Veterinary medicine: veterinary surgery premises: spay and neuter services.

The document was reformatted from the official enrolled bill layout (with chapter number, governor signature block, and page numbers) to a web page display format that includes site navigation, version history, and metadata. No changes were made to the substantive text of the bill.

A new Section 1 was added containing legislative findings and declarations. It states the intent to expand access to high-volume spay and neuter services, explicitly declares that these services are not required to be performed in a separate surgery room, and clarifies that the act does not exempt these services from other veterinary medicine requirements or exempt traditional non-high-volume services from existing requirements.

The defined term was changed from 'high-quality, high-volume spay or neuter services' to 'high-volume spay or neuter services,' removing the 'high-quality' qualifier. The substantive definition (20 or more dogs, cats, or rabbits within 12 consecutive hours) remains unchanged.

Section 4854(b) now explicitly states that high-volume spay or neuter services 'shall not be required to be performed in a separate surgical room,' adding this as a fourth exemption beyond the three previously listed standards (separate aseptic room, open shelving prohibition, and radiograph viewing equipment).

The exemption now applies not only to services performed in a registered veterinary premises but also to those performed by a veterinarian employed or contracted with a veterinary premises in a temporary setting, such as mobile or pop-up spay/neuter events.

The minimum number of animals required to qualify as 'high-quality, high-volume spay or neuter services' was raised from eight to 20 dogs, cats, or rabbits (or any combination) within 12 consecutive hours.

The exemption language changed from saying the services 'shall not be required to comply with' certain standards to saying they 'shall not be required to take place in a facility that complies with' those standards, shifting the focus from the procedure to the physical location.

A duplicate word ('recovery, recovery') in the definition was corrected to a single instance of 'recovery.'

Section 4854(b) was expanded from a single exemption (no dedicated surgical suite required) to a list of three specific standards that high-volume spay/neuter clinics are exempt from: (1) a separate room reserved for aseptic surgical procedures, (2) a prohibition on open shelving in the surgical area, and (3) a requirement for equipment for viewing radiographs.

The volume threshold for qualifying as 'high-quality, high-volume spay or neuter services' was increased from 8 or more animals to 20 or more dogs, cats, or rabbits within 12 consecutive hours, making it harder for a clinic to qualify for the exemptions.

The definition of 'high-quality, high-volume spay or neuter services' was changed from 'surgical sterilization' to 'aseptic surgical sterilization,' and 'preparation and recovery' was expanded to 'presurgical preparation and recovery, recovery of the animals,' adding specificity about what the veterinarian must supervise.