Texas lawmakers are pondering legislation that would define the role of nonveterinarian equine dentists in that state.

Current state law does not prohibit nonveterinarian dentists from floating horses’ teeth. But defining just how much work nonveterinarian dentists can perform on horses has been an issue in Texas since 2006 when the Veterinary Medical Examiners Board changed its rules to prohibit lay equine dentists from performing procedures, including teeth floating. Last year, a Texas District Court judge ruled that the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners violated state law when it failed to follow state mandated procedures for making such policy changes.

The proposed legislation, HB 3637, would amend the Texas Agriculture Code to define an equine dental technician as a person who performs teeth floating on horses without the use of sedatives, tranquilizers, or general anesthetic drugs. It would also establish a registration system for nonveterinarian tooth floaters working in the state.

Loris Jones, spokesperson for the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, said the group could offer no official opinion on the bill