BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 969|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 969
Author: Aanestad (R)
Amended: 5/30/07
Vote: 21
SENATE BUS., PROF. & ECON. DEVEL. COMMITTEE : 6-0, 4/23/07
AYES: Ridley-Thomas, Aanestad, Corbett, Denham, Florez,
Harman
NO VOTE RECORDED: Simitian, Yee
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT : Veterinary medicine
SOURCE : California Veterinary Medical Association
DIGEST : This bill allows a registered veterinarian
technician or an unregistered assistant to administer a
drug including controlled substances under the direct or
indirect supervision, as defined, of a licensed
veterinarian.
ANALYSIS :
Existing Law
1.Provides for the licensing and regulation of
approximately 11,600 veterinarians and 3,700 registered
veterinary technicians (RVTs) by the Veterinary Medical
Board (Board) in the Department of Consumer Affairs.
CONTINUED
SB 969
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2.Prohibits any person not licensed by the Board from
practicing veterinary medicine, and provides that an
applicant for a license to practice veterinary medicine
shall have graduated from a veterinary college, passed a
national-administered licensing examination, a state
board examination, and an examination on the statutes and
regulations of the Veterinary Medical Practice Act.
3.Requires the Board to adopt regulations establishing
animal health care tasks and an appropriate degree of
supervision required for those tasks that may be
performed only by a RVT, or a licensed veterinarian, and
allows the Board to adopt regulations for animal health
care tasks to be performed by unregistered assistants
(UAs) and the degree to which UAs would be supervised by
a RVT or a licensed veterinarian.
4.Provides that a person practices veterinary medicine when
he or she, among other things, administers a drug for the
prevention, cure, or relief of a wound, fracture, bodily
injury, or disease of animals, except where the drug is
administered by a registered veterinary technician or an
unregistered assistant at the direction of and under the
direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian. Does not
allow any person other than a licensed veterinarian to
induce anesthesia unless authorized by regulation of the
Board.
This bill:
1.Allows, until January 1, 2012, a RVT or an UA to
administer a drug, except for anesthesia, under the
direct or indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian
when done pursuant to the order, control, and full
professional responsibility of a licensed veterinarian.
2.Defines "drug" and "controlled substance" as specified
under the Health and Safety Code. Defines "direct
supervision" and "indirect supervision" as specified in
the California Code of Regulations.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
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SUPPORT : (Verified 5/29/07)
California Veterinary Medical Association (source)
Veterinary Medical Board (if amended)
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
"for years, Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVTs) and
unregistered assistants (UAs) working in veterinary
practices in California and other states have been allowed
to administer controlled substances under the indirect
supervision of a veterinarian. A new interpretation of the
law by the California Veterinary Medical Board recently
opined that this practice is not authorized. The
Veterinary Medical Board promulgated regulations which
allow RVTs to administer a controlled substance under
indirect supervision. However, UAs must be directly
supervised. There regulations are contradictory and create
a problem for veterinarians who do not have RVTs."
JJA:do 5/30/07 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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