BILL NUMBER: AB 2915 CHAPTERED 09/30/06 CHAPTER 823 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 30, 2006 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 30, 2006 PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 31, 2006 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 31, 2006 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 22, 2006 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 7, 2006 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 25, 2006 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 27, 2006 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Saldana FEBRUARY 24, 2006 An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 4830 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to veterinary medicine. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2915, Saldana Veterinary medicine: licensure. Existing law, the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of the practice of veterinary medicine. Existing law provides that the laws regulating the practice of veterinary medicine do not apply to, among others, unlicensed personnel employed by the Department of Food and Agriculture or the United States Department of Agriculture when, in the course of their duties, they are directed by a veterinarian supervisor to conduct an examination, obtain biological specimens, apply biological tests, or administer medications or biological products as part of government disease or condition monitoring, investigation, control, or eradication activities. This bill would also, until January 1, 2011, exempt from the laws regulating the practice of veterinary medicine veterinarians employed by a city, city and county, or county who meet specified criteria and who are conducting activities, under direct supervision, related to pathology and epidemiology on dead animals as part of specified government programs. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 4830 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 4830. (a) This chapter does not apply to: (1) Veterinarians while serving in any armed branch of the military service of the United States or the United States Department of Agriculture while actually engaged and employed in their official capacity. (2) Regularly licensed veterinarians in actual consultation from other states. (3) Regularly licensed veterinarians actually called from other states to attend cases in this state, but who do not open an office or appoint a place to do business within this state. (4) Veterinarians employed by the University of California while engaged in the performance of duties in connection with the College of Agriculture, the Agricultural Experiment Station, the School of Veterinary Medicine or the agricultural extension work of the university or employed by the Western University of Health Sciences while engaged in the performance of duties in connection with the College of Veterinary Medicine or the agricultural extension work of the university. (5) Students in the School of Veterinary Medicine of the University of California or the College of Veterinary Medicine of the Western University of Health Sciences who participate in diagnosis and treatment as part of their educational experience, including those in off-campus educational programs under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian in good standing, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 4848, appointed by the University of California, Davis, or the Western University of Health Sciences. (6) A veterinarian who is employed by the Meat and Poultry Inspection Branch of the California Department of Food and Agriculture while actually engaged and employed in his or her official capacity. A person exempt under this paragraph shall not otherwise engage in the practice of veterinary medicine unless he or she is issued a license by the board. (7) Unlicensed personnel employed by the Department of Food and Agriculture or the United States Department of Agriculture when, in the course of their duties, they are directed by a veterinarian supervisor to conduct an examination, obtain biological specimens, apply biological tests, or administer medications or biological products as part of government disease or condition monitoring, investigation, control, or eradication activities. (8) Veterinarians employed by a city, city and county, or county who meet all of the following criteria: (A) They have earned and possess a doctorate in veterinary medicine from an American Veterinary Medical Association-accredited college of veterinary medicine, or they possess a degree in veterinary medicine from a non-American Veterinary Medical Association-accredited college of veterinary medicine and possess a certificate issued by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates or a certificate issued by the Program for Assessment of Veterinary Equivalence, or they have achieved board certification from the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. (B) They have successfully completed a residency approved by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. (C) They are conducting activities, under the direct supervision of a California licensed veterinarian, related to pathology and epidemiology on dead animals as part of a government program to monitor a disease or a disease-related condition or to investigate, control, or eradicate a disease. (b) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2011, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2011, deletes or extends that date. SEC. 2. Section 4830 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read: 4830. (a) This chapter does not apply to: (1) Veterinarians while serving in any armed branch of the military service of the United States or the United States Department of Agriculture while actually engaged and employed in their official capacity. (2) Regularly licensed veterinarians in actual consultation from other states. (3) Regularly licensed veterinarians actually called from other states to attend cases in this state, but who do not open an office or appoint a place to do business within this state. (4) Veterinarians employed by the University of California while engaged in the performance of duties in connection with the College of Agriculture, the Agricultural Experiment Station, the School of Veterinary Medicine, or the agricultural extension work of the university or employed by the Western University of Health Sciences while engaged in the performance of duties in connection with the College of Veterinary Medicine or the agricultural extension work of the university. (5) Students in the School of Veterinary Medicine of the University of California or the College of Veterinary Medicine of the Western University of Health Sciences who participate in diagnosis and treatment as part of their educational experience, including those in off-campus educational programs under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian in good standing, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 4848, appointed by the University of California, Davis, or the Western University of Health Sciences. (6) A veterinarian who is employed by the Meat and Poultry Inspection Branch of the California Department of Food and Agriculture while actually engaged and employed in his or her official capacity. A person exempt under this paragraph shall not otherwise engage in the practice of veterinary medicine unless he or she is issued a license by the board. (7) Unlicensed personnel employed by the Department of Food and Agriculture or the United States Department of Agriculture when in the course of their duties they are directed by a veterinarian supervisor to conduct an examination, obtain biological specimens, apply biological tests, or administer medications or biological products as part of government disease or condition monitoring, investigation, control, or eradication activities. (b) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2011.