QUARTERLY BEAT / DECEMBER 2025
MOVING FORWARD WITH
AN UPDATE A YEAR LATER
PROP 129 :
Curious where Colorado’s groundbreaking Proposition 129 stands a year after shaking up the veterinary landscape? In this VETgirl article, Amy Johnson, BS, LVT, RLATG, CVJ, breaks down what’s changed, what’s still in flux, and what it all means for the veterinary team. Read on to see how this bold experiment in mid-level veterinary care is unfolding — and how practices can prepare for this major shift in the veterinary workforce.
Amy Johnson, BS, LVT, RLATG, CVJ Senior CE Manager, VETgirl
INTRODUCTION & RECAP When Colorado voters approved Proposition 129 in November 2024, the veterinary profession awakened to a paradigm shift. Prop 129 authorized the creation of a new Veterinary Professional Associate (VPA) role — a mid-level provider licensed by the state, holding a master’s degree (or equivalent), and functioning under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. 1 The rationale: Colorado and many states increasingly face veterinary workforce shortages, especially in rural and agricultural areas. Proponents argued that VPAs will expand capacity, allow task delegation, and improve access to care. 2 Critics — professional organizations including CVMA, AVMA, and AAVSB — warned about risks in scope, training ambiguity, quality of care, and regulatory oversight. 3 The proposition passed by a modest margin (~53 % to 47 %) on November 5, 2024. 4 But governance, rulemaking, implementation, and real-world adjustments lie ahead. In this updated blog, I revisit the promises, challenges, and new developments as of late 2025 through the lens of practicing veterinarians and veterinary technicians. WHAT PROP 129 ACTUALLY ENABLES: THE STATUTORY FRAMEWORK (UPDATE AS OF 2025) HB 25-1285: REGULATORY BACKBONE Following voter approval, Colorado’s legislature passed HB 25-1285, which provides the statutory authority for the Colorado State Board of Veterinary Medicine to establish rules and regulations for the VPA role. 5 This law clarifies: • Effective date / practice start: VPAs may begin practicing under supervision as of January 1, 2026. 5 • Registration & oversight: The Colorado State Board of Veterinary Medicine is empowered to issue, renew, deny, suspend, or revoke VPA registrations, and to put rules into place defining scope, supervision standards, education equivalencies, and discipline protocols. 5 • Scope / allowed tasks: VPAs may perform tasks “within their qualifications,” under supervision of a licensed veterinarian.
The statute mandates that supervision levels and delegated procedures must ensure high quality and safety, though detailed definitions will emerge through rulemaking. 5 • Accountability & “competency”: The law underscores ensuring that VPAs be competent, appropriately supervised, and clearly accountable. 6 • Transition / grandfathering: The law and board rules are anticipated to define how existing personnel (e.g. experienced vet techs with advanced training) may transition into the VPA role (if permitted). As of now, no formal university programs yet exist. 6 Thus, as of now (fall 2025), VPAs are still theoretical — they are not yet practicing, and their detailed scope and supervision regimes are under active development by Colorado’s regulatory bodies.
CSU’S MASTER’S PROGRAM & TIMELINE Even before Prop 129 passed, Colorado State University (CSU) has been planning a Master’s in Veterinary Clinical Care program aimed to train future VPAs. 7 As of late 2025, CSU is reportedly proceeding with curriculum development, stakeholder consultation, and accreditation planning (though the first cohort will likely start close to the 2026 launch date). 7 Thus, in practical terms, veterinarians and practices have roughly one year to prepare for the initial wave of VPAs.
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