BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1760
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 1760 (Galgiani)
As Amended March 24, 2008
Majority vote
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONS 9-0
APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Eng, Emmerson, Carter, |Ayes:|Leno, Walters, Caballero, |
| |Hayashi, | |Davis, DeSaulnier, |
| |Hernandez, Horton, Maze, | |Emmerson, Furutani, |
| |Price, Torrico | |Huffman, Karnette, |
| | | |Krekorian, |
| | | |La Malfa, Lieu, Ma, |
| | | |Nakanishi, Nava, Sharon |
| | | |Runner, Solorio |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Requires the California Veterinary Medical Board
(Board) to offer the veterinary licensing exam at least twice a
year and makes other changes related to the licensure and
regulation of veterinary professionals. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Clarifies that the Governor appoints one public member to the
Board.
2)Requires the Board to issue certificates of registration.
3)Delineates reciprocity requirements, and requires the Board to
issue licenses to applicants who fulfill such requirements.
This bill also allows applicants to use certificates issued by
the Program for Assessment of Education Equivalence to fulfill
reciprocity requirements.
4)Requires the Board to issue temporary licenses to eligible
applicants who meet specified requirements and agree to
complete the approved educational curriculum on regionally
specific and important diseases and conditions in California.
5)Allows the Board to extend the expiration date of temporary
licenses.
AB 1760
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6)Makes various technical and conforming amendments.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides for the licensure and regulation of the practice of
veterinary medicine by the Board.
2)Requires the Board to ascertain by means of examination given
at least once each year, the professional qualifications of
applicants for licensure and to issue a license to every
qualified applicant.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Appropriations Committee
analysis:
1)This bill would increase licensing revenue by approximately
$25,000 in the first year, $50,000 in the second year, and
continue to grow by $25,000 a year as 100 new veterinarians
are licensed each year.
2)Costs associated with computer programming changes and
workload increases would be approximately $85,000 for 2008-09,
with an on-going annual cost of $70,000.
3)The Department of Consumer Affairs estimates this will result
in an increase of 100 veterinarians in California each year.
Currently, approximately 12% of veterinarians treat farm
animals. If the purpose of this bill is to attract more
agricultural veterinarians, this legislation would result in
12 more of these veterinarians in the state each year with a
net annual cost of $3,750 per newly licensed agricultural
veterinarian.
COMMENTS : According to the author: "It doesn't make sense that
we would spend California tax dollars to educate veterinarians
in our state universities, only to have them leave California to
practice in another state because it takes too long to get a
license in California. We need to ensure that taxpayer dollars
are educating California's future workforce, and that we are
able to meet the veterinary needs of our agricultural industry.
AB 1760 will ensure that the licensing test is offered at least
twice a year, as well as, change the reciprocity standards for
veterinarians educated outside of California; helping California
AB 1760
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meet the high demands of veterinarians in our state."
This bill is sponsored by the Western United Dairyman and seeks
to address the current veterinarian shortage in California,
especially in regards to the farming community. According to
the California Veterinary Medical Association, there are
approximately 7,500 veterinarians in California and 222 graduate
from veterinary school each year. According to a November 2004
report by the University of California Subcommittee on
Veterinary Medical Education, the current national shortfall of
at least 1,500 veterinarians could grow to 15,000 or more over
the next 20 years. The author's office notes that the current
lack of licensed veterinarians has a direct effect on the safety
of our food supply, and cites an American Veterinary Medical
Association Study stating that the demand for "food supply
veterinarians" (farm animal veterinarians) is predicted to
increase 12 to 13% over the next eight years. This research
also shows that there will most likely be a 4 to 5% decrease of
these types of veterinarians obtaining jobs in our agricultural
and farming communities because of the shortage of veterinarians
in this state.
Analysis Prepared by : Josefina Ramirez / B. & P. / (916)
319-3301
FN: 0004119