BILL ANALYSIS Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary Senator Tom Torlakson, Chairman 969 (Aanestad) Hearing Date: 5/21/07 Amended: 5/16/07 Consultant: Bob Franzoia Policy Vote: B,P&ED 6-0 _________________________________________________________________ ____ BILL SUMMARY: SB 969 would reduce the requirements for a veterinarian to obtain a temporary license to practice in California by requiring the Veterinary Medicine Board (VMB) to waive specific clinical practice requirements relating to period and hours of practice. The bill would require the VMB to waive the exam requirements and issue a license to a person who agrees to complete an approved educational curriculum on regionally specific and important diseases and conditions during the first year of licensure. The bill would, until January 2102, authorize a registered veterinary technician and an unregistered assistant to administer a drug, except for the induction of anesthesia, under the direct or indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian. _________________________________________________________________ ____ Fiscal Impact (in thousands) Major Provisions 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Fund Temporary veterinary license $76 $65 $65 ongoing Special* Revenue +$9 +$18 +$18 Special* * Veterinary Medical Board Contingent Fund _________________________________________________________________ ____ STAFF COMMENTS: This bill would require the VMB to waive examination requirements and issue a temporary license to an applicant who (1) has either graduated from a veterinary college recognized by the board or possesses a certificate issued by a specified commission or by the Program for Assessment of Educational Equivalence and, (2) within three years immediately preceding filing and application, has practiced clinical veterinary medicine for a minimum of two years and completed a minimum of 2,944 hours of clinical practice. Beginning 2007-08, the VMB will have a reserve of $618,000 (equal to 3.3 months of operation). By 2011-10, the reserve will be negative. This bill, which will impose new licensing and enforcement workload associated with issuing an estimated 100 new temporary veterinary licenses annually, will exacerbate VMB revenue problems. Under Business and Professions Code 4905 (d), the fee for the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act exam, which is set by regulation in an amount the VMB determines reasonably necessary to provide sufficient funding, is capped at $50. The fee, which is currently set at $35, is scheduled to increase in September 2007 to the cap. Under this same section (4905 (g)), the fee for a temporary license is capped at $125. Because of the increased costs associated with offering more Veterinary Medicine Practice Act exams and processing more temporary licenses, staff recommends (1) the statutory cap on the exam be increased to $100 and, (2) the statutory cap on the temporary license be increased to $250. Though increasing the caps will enable the VMB to recover some fee revenue to compensate for the additional requirements placed on the VMB by the provisions of the bill, no fee increases will occur unless the VMB adopts the necessary regulations.