BILL ANALYSIS
SB 969
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 969 (Aanestad)
As Amended May 30, 2007
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :39-0
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS 10-0
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|Ayes:|Eng, Emmerson, Lieu, | | |
| |Carter, Hayashi, | | |
| |Hernandez, Horton, Maze, | | |
| |Price, Torrico | | |
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SUMMARY : Allows a registered veterinarian technician (RVT) or
an unregistered assistant (UA) to administer a drug, including
controlled substances, under the direct or indirect supervision,
as defined, of a licensed veterinarian. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Allows, until January 1, 2012, a RVT or 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.
3)Defines "direct supervision" and "indirect supervision" as
specified in the California Code of Regulations.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides for the licensing and regulation of approximately
11,600 veterinarians and 3,700 RVTs by the Veterinary Medical
Board (Board) in the Department of Consumer Affairs.
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
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licensing examination, a 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
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/she, among other things, administers a drug for prevention,
cure, or relief of a wound, fracture, bodily injury, or
disease of animals, except where the drug is administered by a
RVT or UA at the direction of and under the direct supervision
of a licensed veterinarian.
5)Allows a RVT or UA to administer a drug under the indirect
supervision of a licensed veterinarian when done pursuant to
the order, control, and full professional responsibility of a
licensed veterinarian.
6)Defines "direct supervision" as meaning the supervisor is
physically present at the location where animal health care
job tasks are to be preformed and the animal has been examined
by a veterinarian at such time as good veterinary medical
practices requires, as described.
7)Defines "indirect supervision" as meaning that the supervisor
is not physically present at the location where the animal
health care job tasks are to be preformed but has given either
written or oral instructions for treatment of the animal
patient and the animal has been examined by a veterinarian at
such time as good veterinary medical practices requires.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown. This bill is keyed non-fiscal.
COMMENTS : According to the author, "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
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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. Their regulations are
contradictory and create a problem for veterinarians who do not
have RVTs."
Analysis Prepared by : Tracy Rhine / B. & P. / (916) 319-3301
FN: 0001648