---
type: "Bill"
title: "AN ACT relating to veterinarian licensing and making an appropriation therefor."
description: "Reorganize KRS Chapter 321, relating to veterinary licensing; create new sections of KRS Chapter 321 to set up rules for telehealth, records retention, and veterinary facilities; list license renewal procedures for veterinary technicians, animal euthanasia specialists, and veterinary facilities; require fingerprint-supported criminal records checks for licensing; amend various sections of KRS Chapter 321 to establish rules for occupations and facilities under the chapter, including licensing, license renewal, licensee discipline, authorized activities, and veterinarian-client-patient relationships; declare the legislative intent for KRS Chapter 321; establish procedures for allied animal health professionals; require a veterinarian to attain a doctorate in veterinary medicine; authorize veterinary practice through special permits and mobile facilities; establish board membership, board procedures, and authority of the veterinary wellness committee; permit the board to expend funds from its revolving fund for designated purposes; repeal and reenact KRS 321.181, 321.190, and 321.235 to define and redefine terms, set practice conditions and exemptions, and establish board duties, privileges, and personal immunity from suit; amend KRS 321.990 to allow criminal and civil penalties; amend KRS 321.188 to conform; APPROPRIATION."
jurisdiction: "us/states/ky"
legislature: "Kentucky General Assembly"
session: "2023RS"
identifier: "HB 167"
citation: "Kentucky HB 167 (2023RS)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Agriculture", "Animals", "Livestock", "and Poultry", "Appropriations", "Background Checks", "Boards and Commissions", "Corrections Impact", "Licensing", "Local Mandate", "Occupations and Professions", "State Agencies", "Veterinarians"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 24
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2023-02-07T05:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2023-03-24T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/649199d6-d624-4caa-8f59-075871ceb1e4"
source_url: "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/23RS/hb167.html"
source_hash: "adca55e9b94eaeb9779812b61ba59b29a1c8c8d9b846b038c0657c04de5e6180"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-ky"]
---

# Kentucky HB 167 (2023RS) — AN ACT relating to veterinarian licensing and making an appropriation therefor.

Reorganize KRS Chapter 321, relating to veterinary licensing; create new sections of KRS Chapter 321 to set up rules for telehealth, records retention, and veterinary facilities; list license renewal procedures for veterinary technicians, animal euthanasia specialists, and veterinary facilities; require fingerprint-supported criminal records checks for licensing; amend various sections of KRS Chapter 321 to establish rules for occupations and facilities under the chapter, including licensing, license renewal, licensee discipline, authorized activities, and veterinarian-client-patient relationships; declare the legislative intent for KRS Chapter 321; establish procedures for allied animal health professionals; require a veterinarian to attain a doctorate in veterinary medicine; authorize veterinary practice through special permits and mobile facilities; establish board membership, board procedures, and authority of the veterinary wellness committee; permit the board to expend funds from its revolving fund for designated purposes; repeal and reenact KRS 321.181, 321.190, and 321.235 to define and redefine terms, set practice conditions and exemptions, and establish board duties, privileges, and personal immunity from suit; amend KRS 321.990 to allow criminal and civil penalties; amend KRS 321.188 to conform; APPROPRIATION.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/23RS/hb167/orig_bill.pdf)
2. **Acts Chapter 95** (committee substitute) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/acts/23RS/documents/0095.pdf)
3. **Current/Final** (committee substitute) — [source](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/23RS/hb167/bill.pdf)

## Votes

- Final Passage — **pass** (pass) · lower
- Pass — **pass** (pass) · lower
- PASS HB 167 W/ scs1 — **pass** (pass) · lower

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2023-02-07T05:00:00+00:00** introduced in House `introduction`
- **2023-02-07T05:00:00+00:00** to Committee on Committees (H) `referral-committee`
- **2023-02-09T05:00:00+00:00** to Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H) `referral-committee`
- **2023-02-15T05:00:00+00:00** reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) `committee-passage`
- **2023-02-16T05:00:00+00:00** 2nd reading, to Rules `reading-2`
- **2023-02-17T05:00:00+00:00** posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, February 21, 2023
- **2023-02-21T05:00:00+00:00** 3rd reading, passed 95-4 with Committee Substitute (1) `passage, reading-3`
- **2023-02-22T05:00:00+00:00** received in Senate
- **2023-02-22T05:00:00+00:00** to Committee on Committees (S) `referral-committee`
- **2023-03-02T05:00:00+00:00** to Agriculture (S) `referral-committee`
- **2023-03-14T04:00:00+00:00** reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) `committee-passage`
- **2023-03-15T04:00:00+00:00** 2nd reading, to Rules `reading-2`
- **2023-03-15T04:00:00+00:00** posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Thursday, March 16, 2023
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** 3rd reading, passed 36-1 with Committee Substitute (1) `passage, reading-3`
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** received in House
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** to Rules (H) `referral-committee`
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** taken from Rules
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** placed in the Orders of the Day
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** House concurred in Senate Committee Substitute (1)
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** passed 93-0 `passage`
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House `passage`
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** enrolled, signed by President of the Senate `passage`
- **2023-03-16T04:00:00+00:00** delivered to Governor
- **2023-03-24T04:00:00+00:00** signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 95) `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/649199d6-d624-4caa-8f59-075871ceb1e4`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Kentucky legislature records).