BILL ANALYSIS
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1760
Author: Galgiani (D)
Amended: 8/12/08 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE BUS., PROF. & ECON. DEVEL. COMMITTEE : 9-0, 5/12/08
AYES: Ridley-Thomas, Aanestad, Calderon, Corbett, Denham,
Florez, Harman, Simitian, Yee
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 12-0, 8/4/08
AYES: Torlakson, Cox, Aanestad, Cedillo, Corbett, Dutton,
Florez, Kuehl, Oropeza, Simitian, Wyland, Yee
NO VOTE RECORDED: Ashburn, Ridley-Thomas, Runner
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 75-0, 4/14/08 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Veterinarians and registered veterinary
technicians
SOURCE : Western United Dairymen
DIGEST : This bill requires the Veterinary Medical Board
to offer the state board examination at least twice a year;
makes other changes related to reciprocity and temporary
licensing requirements for out-of-state veterinarians;
clarifies the enforcement actions that may be taken against
a registered veterinarian technician; and makes other
technical and conforming changes to the Veterinary Medicine
Practice Act.
CONTINUED
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ANALYSIS :
Existing Law
1. Provides for the examination, licensing, and regulation
of approximately 9,800 veterinarians and 4,300
registered veterinary technicians by the Veterinary
Medical Board (VMB) in the Department of Consumer
Affairs.
2. Establishes the VMB which consists of seven members,
three of whom are public members and four of whom are
licensed veterinarians, and requires the Governor to
appoint the four licensed veterinarians and the Senate
Committee on Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly to
each appoint a public member.
3. Requires that the VMB shall, by means of examination,
ascertain the professional qualifications of all
applicants for licensure to practice veterinary medicine
in this state and shall issue a license to every person
whom it finds to be qualified.
4. Requires the examination to consist of a licensing
examination that is administered on a national basis, a
state board examination, and an examination concerning
the statutes and regulations of the Veterinary Medicine
Practice Act (VMP Act) administered by the VMB.
5. Requires that the complete examination (the state board
examination) shall be given at least once each year and
shall include all such subjects as are included in the
curricula of veterinary colleges and may include such
other subjects as the VMB may by rule authorize and
direct.
6. Provides that the VMB may waive the examination
requirements as specified and issue a temporary license
valid for one year to an applicant to practice
veterinary medicine under the supervision of another
licensed California veterinarian if the applicant meets
the following requirements:
A. Holds a current valid license from another
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state and has practiced clinical veterinary
medicine for a minimum of four years.
B. Is not under investigation nor been charged
with an offense or subject o administrative
disciplinary action by an agency or been subject
to a judgment that the VMB determines constitutes
evidence of incompetence or negligence.
C. Has no physical or mental impairment related to
drugs or alcohol and has not been found mentally
incompetent.
D. Has passed the national licensing examination.
E. Graduated from a veterinary college recognized
by the VMB.
F. Passes an examination concerning the statutes
and regulations of the VMP Act administered by the
VMB.
G. Agrees to complete an approved educational
curriculum, as specified, on regionally specific
and important diseases and conditions during the
period of temporary licensure.
7. Provides that the VMB shall issue a temporary license
valid for one year to an applicant accepted into a
qualifying internship or residency program that meets
specified requirements including graduation from a
veterinary college or possess a certificate issued by
the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary
Graduates.
This bill:
1. Specifies that the Governor appoint five members to the
VMB, including one public member.
2. Requires that the state board examination for licensure
as a veterinarian be given at least twice each year.
3. Provides for purposes of reciprocity, that the VMB shall
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waive the examination requirements as specified and
issue a license (rather than a temporary license) to an
applicant to practice veterinary medicine if the
applicant meets the following requirements:
A. Holds a current valid license from another state
and has practiced clinical veterinary medicine for
a minimum of two (rather than four) years and
completed a minimum of 2,944 hours of clinical
practice.
B. As stated in B), C), D), E) and F) of item #6 of
"Existing Law" above.
C. Completes an approved educational curriculum, as
specified, on regionally specific and important
diseases and conditions during the period of
temporary licensure.
4. Provides that the VMB shall issue a temporary license
valid for one year to an applicant to practice
veterinary medicine under the supervision of a
California licensed veterinarian if the applicant meets
the following requirements:
A. As stated in A) Item #3 under "This bill" above
and B), C), D), E), F) of item #6 in "Existing Law"
above.
B. Agrees to complete an approved educational
curriculum, as specified, on regionally specific
and important diseases and conditions during the
period of temporary licensure.
5. Provides that upon completion of the educational
curriculum, a temporary licensee shall submit an
application for full licensure accompanied by
verification of completion of that curriculum and all
applicable fees.
6. Provides that a certificate issued by the Program for
the Assessment of Veterinary Education Equivalency may
also be used to qualify for a license, or a temporary
license for an applicant who is in an internship or
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residency program, if they meet other requirements as
specified.
7. Clarifies when the VMB may place on probation, revoke or
suspend the registration of a veterinary technician or
take other enforcement action as necessary against a
registered veterinary technician, including a citation
and fine.
8. Makes other various technical and conforming changes.
9. Provides that items two through five above are only
operative if SB 1584 (Padilla) is enacted.
Previous Legislation
SB 2003 (Knight), Chapter 1070, Statutes of 1998 , required
the VMB to issue a temporary license to practice veterinary
medicine, changed the requirements for the examination of
applicants, required and authorized the VMB to set and
appropriate the examination and licensing fees, and created
a one-year temporary license for applicants accepted into a
qualifying internship or residency programs.
SB 969 (Aanestand), of 2007 , provided similar changes
related to reciprocity and temporary licensing requirements
for out-of-state veterinarians. This language was removed
from the measure in Senate Appropriations Committee last
year. There was concern over a fee increase for the
examination and the temporary license which would be
necessary to cover the workload of the VMB.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee analysis:
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2008-09 2009-10
2010-11 Fund
Temporary veterinary $76 $65 $65 ongoing
Special*
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license
License and penalty $9 $18 $18
Special*
Revenue
*Veterinary Medical Board Contingent Fund (VMBCF)
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/11/08)
Western United Dairymen (source)
California Cattlemen's Association
California Farm Bureau
California Veterinary Medical Association
California Veterinary Medical Board
Department of Consumer Affairs
Pacific Egg & Poultry Association
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : As explained by the Sponsor, the
dairy industry is in short supply of "large animal"
veterinarians and has been for several years. Their
membership believes the overall shortage is due not only to
lack of graduates, but lack of incentives for graduates to
enter the veterinarian medical field. Large animals, in
particular dairy animals, require specific and constant
attention to their health and safety.
The Sponsor indicates that this bill makes simple
adjustments to the number of tests made available to
veterinarian school graduates, thereby providing an
"incentive" for graduates to test and license in
California, and hopefully to stay and practice here. This
bill will also encourage graduates, or applicants for a
license [from other states] to seek testing in California.
The Sponsor argues that the bill covers the issuance of a
temporary license and seeks to provide timing alternatives
for the applicant, providing somewhat of a competitive
incentive to test and practice in California as opposed to
locating their practices in competing states.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Adams, Aghazarian, Anderson, Arambula, Bass, Beall,
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Benoit, Berg, Berryhill, Blakeslee, Brownley, Charles
Calderon, Carter, Cook, Coto, Davis, De La Torre, De
Leon, DeSaulnier, DeVore, Duvall, Dymally, Emmerson, Eng,
Evans, Feuer, Fuentes, Furutani, Galgiani, Garcia,
Garrick, Hancock, Hayashi, Hernandez, Horton, Houston,
Huff, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Karnette, Keene,
Krekorian, La Malfa, Laird, Leno, Levine, Lieu, Ma, Maze,
Mendoza, Mullin, Nakanishi, Nava, Niello, Parra, Plescia,
Portantino, Price, Sharon Runner, Ruskin, Salas, Saldana,
Silva, Smyth, Solorio, Spitzer, Strickland, Swanson,
Torrico, Tran, Villines, Walters, Wolk, Nunez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Caballero, Fuller, Gaines, Lieber, Soto
JJA:do 8/12/08 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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