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
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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.
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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
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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.