On October 15, 2021, the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) released a report recommending that veterinary technicians be regulated in the state of Colorado. This report, also known as a “sunrise report” will be presented to the Colorado state legislature in early 2022.
Both the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and the Colorado Association of Certified Veterinary Technicians (CACVT) are aware of the report and its recommendation regarding regulation of technicians; while the report has recommended regulation, it did not outline what form such regulation will take and how the regulation may impact veterinarians. As such, there are many details that still need to be worked out in the coming months before a bill is presented to the state legislature.
CACVT and CVMA have been in regular, productive communication about this topic throughout 2021, and are continuing to communicate since the release of the DORA sunrise report.
CVMA and CACVT share the following goals:
- Regulation is important to establish a career path for veterinary technicians that improves retention and attracts more professionals.
- Regulation must be established thoughtfully so that it serves to expand—and not restrict–access to veterinary personnel, especially during a time when it is already challenging to find candidates for open positions.
CACVT and CVMA will continue to engage in conversation about this topic, and will share more updates with veterinary professionals across the state as concrete information becomes available.
Learn more about the sunrise review process for veterinary technicians on the CACVT website.
