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 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |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 | |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------| | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Page 2 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 Page 3 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