December 2009

In This Issue:

• Message From The Secretary
• Message From the Board Chair
• Message from the Director
• Message From The Executive Director
• New Reporting Requirement for Criminal Convictions
• New License Application Center
• eNewsroom

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Message From The Interim Secretary, Charlie Liem

I was honored to be chosen by Governor Charlie Crist to serve as the Interim Secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.  For those of you who may be wondering what’s next, I’d like to make a simple point: the agency is not about who is Secretary, it is about the people who work here, and the mission the Governor and the Legislature have assigned us.

With the 2010 Legislative Session nearing, it is important that we maintain the same momentum we built over the past several years to remove unnecessary burdens and streamline processes.  Input from you, our licensees, often provides the most enlightening insight into what changes may need to be made.  Over the next several months, I look forward to developing bills that will enhance Florida’s business environment and make a direct impact on how we serve you. 

I’m grateful for the opportunity to shift from the Chief of Staff to Interim Secretary, and I look forward to continuing to make enhancements to better protect the public and support Florida’s economy. 

Sincerely,

Charlie Liem
Interim Secretary

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Message From The Board Chair, Dr. Robert O’Neil

The Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Board of Veterinary Medicine are always concerned about unlicensed activity in the industry. There is a toll-free telephone number to contact if you suspect any unlicensed activity going on in your area. That toll-free telephone number is 1.866.532.1440, or you may download a Uniform Complaint Form located at www.MyFloridaLicense.com > For Consumers > File a Complaint against a Business or Professional and mail it to the department.  It is incumbent upon you to police your area and report unlicensed activity to the department. You have worked hard to obtain and maintain your license, and others should be held to the same standards.

Please visit the board’s Web site at www.MyFloridaLicense.com > doing business with us > veterinary medicine.  It contains important information about your profession.  You can view agendas, minutes of meetings, board meeting schedules and much more. 

I would like to thank my fellow board members for the outstanding job they do.  Serving on the board takes a lot of time out of their busy practices to prepare and attend meetings, but everyone comes prepared and ready to do the people’s business.  Also, staff needs to be recognized for all of their hard work in putting the meetings together and dealing with the issues of the profession on a daily basis. 

I would also like to invite you to attend board meetings when they are in your area.  I believe you would find them to be very informative and you can receive up to five hours of continuing education for attending. 

I wish you all a very happy holiday season.

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Message from the Director, Tim Vaccaro

In August of 2008, Governor Charlie Crist announced Accelerate Florida, his initiative to reduce or eliminate unnecessary regulation and to streamline licensing processes. To support the Governor’s initiative, the department reviewed its processes to determine where it could improve customer service and reduce regulatory barriers. The department submitted legislative proposals that became House Bill 425, which Governor Crist signed into law on June 16, 2009. HB 425 reduces regulatory requirements in order to assist individuals who are licensed or apply for licensure with the department. Its highlights include the following:

• Removes notarization requirements for all applications and renewals in order to facilitate electronic submittals. Applicants can now sign an attestation statement regarding the accuracy of their submissions;
• Eliminates the practical examination for barbers and restricted barbers, because practical theory is now included within the written examination;
• Eliminates the requirement for a qualified business license for construction companies, because companies must already have a licensed qualifying agent who is responsible for the company’s actions;
• Removes the requirement that applicants for registered contractor licenses provide a copy of a local occupational license, because most local jurisdictions require proof of a state contractor’s license before they will issue an occupational license;
• Eliminates requirements for building code administrator applicants and licensees in construction-related professions to complete a core curriculum course on Florida Building Code training approved by the Florida Building Commission, because the statewide Florida Building Code has been in effect since March 1, 2002;
• Removes the requirement for Certified Public Accountants to complete the Florida Laws & Rules Examination for license renewal and reactivation of an inactive license, because the Florida Laws & Rules requirement is fulfilled by the continuing education process;
• Clarifies statutes to exclude attorneys practicing as a licensed real estate broker or agent from continuing education requirements under Chapter 475, Florida Statutes, if they are members in good standing of the Florida Bar;
• Provides for greater consumer protection for clients who utilize talent agency services under part VII, Chapter 468, Florida Statutes; and
• Authorizes the Florida State Boxing Commission to adopt criteria for approval of certain amateur sanctioning organizations and to adopt health and safety standards for amateur mixed martial arts.

The department also implemented improvements that did not require legislative changes. A complete list of Accelerate Florida improvements is available on our Web site at www.MyFloridaLicense.com by clicking on “Accelerate Florida.”

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Message from the Executive Director
Juanita Chastain

Renewals

As you know, to maintain licensure you must renew your license in May of 2010.  Renewal notices will be mailed 90 days prior to the May 31, 2010 renewal deadline.  It is not too early to start preparing. 

To renew, your must pay the appropriate renewal fee and for an active license you must complete the required 30 hours of continuing education.  The 30 hours must include 2 hours in dispensing drugs.

You can locate courses by requirement using the board’s Web site.  To do so, please follow these steps:

• Go to www.MyFloridaLicense.com
• Click on “Doing Business with Us.”
• Click on “Find a CE Course.”
• Select the board “Board of Veterinary Medicine.”
• Select the requirement.
• Click the “Search” button (this will provide you with a list of board-approved courses).
• Click on the “info” button under the provider column of the course you are interested in taking.

The “info” button will give you the name and contact information of a course provider who is authorized to teach the course.

You can view the current listing of approved providers and courses at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/servop/testing/CErequirementsbyboard.html

Please keep this important information in mind and plan early.  You don’t want to put your license in jeopardy.

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New Reporting Requirement for Criminal Convictions

During the 2009 Legislative Session, the Florida Legislature passed House Bill 425, which became law on October 1, 2009. Beginning October 1, 2009, House Bill 425 requires all professional licensees to report to the department within 30 days of being convicted or found guilty of, or having plead nolo contendere or guilty to a crime in any jurisdiction. A licensee who fails to report that information, may be subject to disciplinary action, including fines, suspension or license revocation. To report this information, complete the criminal self-reporting document and mail to the department as provided on the form.

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New License Application Center

In our continuing effort to provide better customer service, we have improved our web site home page and created a user-friendly application center. We hope that these changes will make it easier for you to do business with us. The new features are intended to make the Web site more user-friendly and provide simple ways for our customers to find licensing information and requirements through detailed descriptions and helpful checklists.

The changes to the Web site include: new application features with a full list of license types, a list of detailed license requirements before each application, separate entry points for applications and renewals, and a new page called "What Services Require a DBPR License," which is designed to assist consumers with determining what services require a DBPR license.

We encourage you to provide feedback via the "Feedback" link that is available in the Customer Service Spotlight section on MyFloridaLicense.com.

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eNewsroom

Check out DBPR's eNewsroom, your source for important Department news and information. Here, you can watch public service announcements, read news releases, and subscribe to and flip through our publications.

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Visit us on the Web at www.MyFloridaLicense.com