Committee approves bill allowing veterinary technicians to give rabies shots under supervision

The Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee on the morning of the session approved House Bill 1408, which would allow licensed veterinary technicians, acting under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian, to administer rabies vaccines required by law.

"All this bill does is allow technicians who are licensed in the state who work directly under [a veterinarian] to administer these vaccines," the bill sponsor told the committee, framing the measure as a public‑health issue and recounting personal experience with the consequences of exposure to rabid animals.

The sponsor said the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Department of Public Health support the bill. The chair called for a motion; after a motion and second were recorded, the chair asked for all in favor to say aye and announced the bill passed.

Supporters said the change would expand access to routine rabies inoculations while keeping a veterinarian directly responsible for medical oversight. No committee questions were recorded on the medical supervision language, and committee members did not request amendments during the hearing.

Because the committee vote was taken by voice and no roll call tally was read into the record during the session, the official numerical vote count on the do‑pass motion was not recorded in the transcript; the chair announced the motion carried.

The bill now moves to the next step in the legislative process pending scheduling by the Rules Committee and floor action.