Illinois Rep. Cassidy’s rabies vaccination delegation bill passes House and Senate

Newly passed bill authored by State Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy aims to allow veterinarians to delegate rabies vaccinations in shelters and public health clinics, clarifying oversight and certification requirements, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

In the House, 69 Democrats and 33 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 40 Democrats and 19 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

Cassidy introduced the bill in the Illinois House on Feb. 6, 2026 during the 104th session.

The legislation, known as HB5411, was passed on May 21, 2026 during the general assembly session 104.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill’s official text as follows: “Specifies that the Act may be referred to as the Rabies Vaccination Access for Shelters and Public Health Act. Amends the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004 and the Animal Control Act. Allows a licensed veterinarian to delegate rabies vaccination within an animal shelter, animal control facility, or government-authorized public health vaccination clinic to a certified veterinary technician or trained shelter vaccine administrator who is acting under the veterinarian’s indirect supervision. Requires written protocols, training verification, and oversight by the supervising veterinarian. Directs the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation under the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004 and the Department of Agriculture under the Animal Control Act to adopt rules within 12 months of the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective January 1, 2027.”

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill, called the Rabies Vaccination Access for Shelters and Public Health Act, allows licensed veterinarians to delegate rabies vaccinations in animal shelters, animal control facilities and government-authorized public health clinics to certified veterinary technicians and trained shelter vaccine administrators under indirect supervision. It requires the veterinarian to be on-site, maintain written protocols, ensure proper vaccine handling, verify staff training and retain professional responsibility. The bill clarifies that private practices are not affected, sets rules for certificates and tags, and directs state agencies to adopt implementing rules within 12 months. It takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Barbara Hernandez (Democrat-50th District), Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock (Democrat-46th District), and Rep. Jawaharial Williams (Democrat-10th District), along with two other sponsors.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Cassidy, a Democrat, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2011 to represent the state’s 14th House District, replacing previous state representative Harry Osterman.

Lawmakers listed as “Not Voting” were present for the vote but did not cast a vote. Those marked as having an “Excused Absence” were not present and formally provided a reason for their absence, which was accepted.