APA Leadership team member Joyce Richardson, political action chair’s blog about Proposition 129 on the 2024 ballot

Prop 129  Establishing Veterinary Professional Associates (Establish Qualifications and Registration for Veterinary Professional Associate

Argument For Proposition 129 Many Coloradans struggle to get veterinary care for their animals, especially in rural and agricultural communities. Allowing new veterinary providers to practice under state law may create more training and career opportunities for veterinary professionals, leading to expanded access. Veterinary professional associates could provide needed relief to overworked veterinarians, allowing them to delegate additional tasks and take better care of animals in Colorado. Colorado Blue Book

Argument Against Proposition 129 1) The measure’s education and training requirements are vague and do not differentiate veterinary professional associates from existing veterinary care professionals. There are currently no academic programs for this profession in Colorado, so it is unclear when anyone would be eligible to work as a veterinary professional associate. Creating a new and untested profession could increase risk for animals. Colorado Blue Book

Seems to be revenue neutral. Oversight and fees will equal out.

What All Pets Deserve Vet Care (pro prop 129) says: Colorado voters can help increase access to veterinary care! By voting YES on Proposition 129 in November, you can support the creation of a new career—a Veterinary Professional Associate or “Veterinary PA.” These professionals will have a Master’s degree from an accredited veterinary school and will work under the supervision of a Colorado licensed veterinarian. Adding Veterinary PAs to the workforce will allow clinics to provide more affordable and accessible care.

What Keep Pets Safe (anti prop 129) says: Proposition 129 introduces an entirely new role in Colorado called a Veterinary Professional Associate or VPA, whose training would be mostly online with minimal hands-on instruction. If passed, Proposition 129 would allow VPAs to practice veterinary medicine, including performing surgery after only a one-semester internship.

American Veterinary Medical Association President Sandra Faeh calls the proposal “disastrous.”

“The proposed training for this position is completely inadequate and will lead to missed or delayed diagnoses, ineffective treatment and repeat visits, all of which lead to more suffering for the animal and increased cost for the client,” Faeh said in a press statement.

CACVT opposes the creation of a Veterinary Professional Associate (VPA).

Over the past 5 years, CACVT has been involved at every step to redefine accessible veterinary care and promote the safe, effective utilization of RVTs. Colorado voters are now being asked to decide on the creation of a new regulated veterinary professional. Proposition 129 is being touted as an advanced career path for veterinary technicians. CACVT encourages the creation of advanced career pathways for RVTs, but there are many unknowns about this newly proposed profession that may detrimentally impact veterinary care in Colorado. Here are some facts we want you to know:

• At least eight semesters of undergraduate school are required for admission to the proposed Master’s Degree in Clinical Care at CSU.
  • Our demographic data shows <30% of Colorado’s RVTs have a four-year degree or higher, meaning additional schooling and student loan debt to even apply to the Master’s program.
• Proponents of Proposition 129 claim that a VPA will be competent and allowed to diagnose, perform routine surgeries, and prescribe medication.
  • Only the State Board of Veterinary Medicine can determine if anyone other than a licensed veterinarian can perform surgery or diagnose medical conditions for animals in Colorado. So far, this has not been discussed or decided by them whether these tasks will be allowed by a VPA.
  • Federal regulations prohibit anyone other than a licensed veterinarian from prescribing medication for animals, which is enforced by the FDA. This is not something the State Board of Veterinary Medicine would be able to allow even if they wanted to; only an act of Congress can change this federal law.
• There is currently no accredited national or state regulatory or professional organization for a VPA.
  • This means there is little to no oversight or structure provided for educational programs, national competency board testing, or regulatory structure for this position.
  • VPAs who complete current programs that do not fit future requirements may not be eligible for licensing or certification.
• The liability is high. Proposition 129 states a VPA would be responsible for damages from any act deemed negligent when providing care to an animal.
  • Most veterinary professional liability insurance policies only cover the supervising veterinarian. There is no indication coverage would be expanded to VPAs.
• Speculation about salary is suggesting a VPA’s salary would be higher than an RVT’s.
  • The additional student loan debt required to complete Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees may create further financial strain on the current veterinary technician workforce with little to no gain.
  • More data is needed to determine what, if any, increase in salary a VPA would have over an RVT or RVTS.
• Proponents say there is no advanced career path for RVTs, but we know there is!

For the last 3 years, Colorado law has been modernized to meet today’s needs and RVTs and VTSs can now partner more effectively with veterinarians to improve access to care. To make this even more successful, CACVT encourages the following actions:

1. Robustly implement the current statutory solutions in HB24-1047, which expands the scope of practice for RVTs and VTSs and includes a CE requirement for veterinarians on how to optimally utilize RVTs, VTSs, and other personnel.
2. Create advanced educational programs designed specifically to enhance the knowledge of RVTs and VTSs. (See LMU MVCC)
3. Address barriers to achieving VTS certifications.
4. Expand VTS pathways into much-needed sectors, such as shelter medicine.
5. Increase support for RVTs pursuing a VTS, such as residency programs and financial aid.
6. Pay all RVTs and VTSs a living wage to improve retention in the profession and reflect their education and competence.

CACVT is always in favor of promoting advanced career pathways for RVTs and VTSs. We want to see this done responsibly in a way that benefits Colorado’s animals and veterinary technicians seeking to work at an advanced level.

The idea is backed by animal welfare groups concerned about a shortage of affordable veterinary care, and opposed by veterinary professionals who warn the training requirements are insufficient for the level of care VPA’s will be allowed to offer. Colorado Public Radio

In My Opinion: ill-conceived and it seems like organizations looking for a mid-level professional for spay/neuter clinics and not too concerned about the qualifications since they are extremely vague in the proposition. Shoves the already recognized but notoriously underpaid profession of Certified Vet Techs farther down the salary scale with little hope of moving into this new mid-level profession without very expensive additional schooling to get a 4-yr degree then a masters.

Pro website:  https://allpetsdeservevetcare.com/ You can find a list of sponsors on their website.

Anti website:  https://keepourpetssafe.com/  You can find a list of sponsors on their website.

APA Leadership team member Joyce Richardson, political action chair’s blog about Proposition 128 on the 2024 ballot

Prop 128  Parole Eligibility for Crimes of Violence

Argument For Proposition 128 1) keeps people convicted of crimes of violence in prison for a longer period of time in an effort to increase public safety and ensure that justice is served. People who commit these dangerous crimes should be kept away from their victims and the community without opportunities for discretionary parole or earned time. Victims and their family members deserve the sense of security that prolonged periods of incarceration will provide. Colorado Blue Book

Argument Against Proposition 128 removes the opportunity for convicted people to achieve earned time, giving them less incentive to comply with prison rules or take advantage of rehabilitation opportunities offered in prison. The prison population will grow, which will increase costs and require additional staff when many prisons are already short-staffed and have difficulty recruiting and retaining employees. Finally, there is no evidence that the measure will reduce crime rates. Colorado Blue Book

Cost analysis: One time computer upgrade $12000. $12-28M in extended years from 75% to 85% of sentence and inability to earn credits to reduce sentence until 85% of sentence has been reached. This would add 1 year before enough credits have been earned to appear before the parole board Colorado Blue Book

What Coloradans for Smart Justice (anti prop 128) says: Proposition 128 would significantly delay discretionary parole and earned time eligibility for people convicted of certain felonies, requiring them to serve at least 85% of their sentence, up from the current 75%, before becoming eligible for release or earned time.

If passed, this misguided measure would undermine Colorado’s current parole system and balloon the state prison budget without improving public safety.

In My Opinion.  We have a parole board who looks at each prisoner’s earned credits and overall behavior. Removing incentives for good behavior seems to me to be a major flaw. Recently violent crime rates are significantly down, this initiative seems to be a solution looking for a problem to solve.

I could not find a Pro website, what I did find is that Advance Colorado Institute President, Michael Fields was the agent proposing this Proposition. Their website statement says: Advance Colorado’s team of professionals and allies are at work every day to push back on the progressive policies that have put our state on the wrong track.  It’s time to return common sense to Colorado by empowering taxpayers and families – and keeping government in check.

Anti website: https://www.coloradansforsmartjustice.org/