The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
  (1) Accredited veterinarian--A veterinarian approved by USDA under the provisions of Title 9, Part 161, Code of Federal Regulations, to perform specified functions required by cooperative state-federal disease control eradication programs for Category II animals.
  (2) Authorized personnel--
    (A) Veterinarians and inspectors employed by the commission;
    (B) USDA-APHIS, VS veterinary medical officers and animal health technicians;
    (C) Veterinarians who:
      (i) are licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Texas; and
      (ii) are Category II accredited by USDA-APHIS, VS for the State of Texas; and
      (iii) have satisfactorily completed Texas Animal Health Commission disease control or eradication program training or provide documentation to the executive director that they have satisfactorily completed substantially similar disease control or eradication program training;
    (D) Veterinarians' technicians and/or employees who have satisfactorily completed the Texas Animal Health Commission disease control or eradication program training or provide documentation to the Executive Director that they have satisfactorily completed substantially similar disease control or eradication program training; and
    (E) For the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) program, individuals who have satisfactorily completed Texas Animal Health Commission CWD disease control or eradication program training or provide documentation to the executive director that they have satisfactorily completed substantially similar CWD disease control or eradication program training.
  (3) APHIS--The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.
  (4) Commission--The Texas Animal Health Commission.
  (5) Disease control or eradication program--Any state or federal disease control or eradication program for animals.
  (6) Executive Director--The Executive Director of the Texas Animal Health Commission or any individual authorized to act for the Executive Director.
  (7) False sample--An adulterated sample or a sample that was collected from an animal other than the animal indicated on the test document.
  (8) Issue--The distribution, including electronic transmission, of an official document that has been signed.
  (9) Official document--Any certificate, form, record, report, chart, tag, band, or other identification, required by the commission or USDA for use by an authorized person performing authorized functions under this chapter. This includes, but is not limited to a certificate of veterinary inspection, vaccination charts and test documents.
  (10) Sign--For an authorized person to put his or her signature in his or her own hand, or by means of an approved digital signature, on an official document. No official document is signed if:
    (A) Someone other than the authorized person has signed it on behalf or in the name of the authorized person, regardless of the authority granted them by the authorized person; or
    (B) If any mechanical device, other than an approved digital signature, has been used to affix the signature.
  (11) Veterinarian-in-Charge--The veterinary official of APHIS who is assigned by the USDA Administrator to supervise and perform the official work of APHIS in a State or group of States.
  (12) VS--The Veterinary Services of the United States Department of Agriculture.
  (13) Veterinarian's technician or employee--An authorized person who works under the supervision of an authorized veterinarian unless specifically exempted under this chapter, or rules of the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners as provided in 22 TAC Chapter 573, Subchapter B (relating to Supervision of Personnel), to perform certain procedures under general supervision.

Source Note: The provisions of this §47.1 adopted to be effective February 4, 2014, 39 TexReg 486