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MVMA is Keeping Busy
by Tom Armitage, DVM -
MVMA President
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It has been a busy season
for some of your MVMA officers and committee members,
not the least of which was an impressive turnout of
members at the State House on March 1 in opposition to
H.B. 912. Please read about this
issue here.
Another important issue I
want to address is the new increase in state veterinary
registration fees effective in June 2012. While this is
not expressly an MVMA matter, it will affect many of us.
Our members should
understand that the MVMA is not involved, nor are we
consulted on the procedures and decisions of the The
Maryland State
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Board of Examiners. The board is
specially funded under supervision of the Department of
Agriculture, and as such, operates under their budgetary
oversight.
In brief, your state board has
operated effectively and efficiently over the last several
years. Their reserve funds have been transferred to the state
general fund to help meet state budget shortfalls, much like the
highly publicized transportation funds. As a result, our state
registration fees will increase for the first time in 6 years. I
was contacted by the Department of Legislative Services, after
the fact, for my opinion on how this would impact veterinarians
around the state. You can rest assured I vehemently objected,
and I will continue to express our group’s dissatisfaction about
the fee hike. Last month I was invited to sit in on our neighbor
Virginia’s VMA Winter Conference in Roanoke, attending their
Board meeting and other events. There I learned that other
neighboring states have seen budgetary challenges inflicted on
their state boards because of state budget crunches. We are not
alone.
To close on a good note, I'd like to
congratulate the select group of Maryland VMRCVM students who
succeeding in securing SCAVMA sanction of their MVMA Student
Club. We are very proud of this group's efforts and initiative.
I also urge you all to plan to attend our upcoming CE events at
the
Mid-Atlantic Clinic at the Howard County Fairgrounds,
and of course, the Summer Conference at Ocean City-- always a
great time had by all. We hope to see you all there! |
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Important
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Maryland HB 912
Mid-Atlantic States
Veterinary Clinic
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