BILL ANALYSIS AB 107 Page 1 ASSEMBLY THIRD READING AB 107 (Galgiani and Conway) As Introduced January 12, 2009 Majority vote BUSINESS & PROFESSIONS 10-0 APPROPRIATIONS 16-0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Ayes:|Hayashi, Cook, Conway, |Ayes:|De Leon, Nielsen, | | |Eng, Hernandez, Nava, | |Ammiano, Davis, Duvall, | | |Niello, | |Fuentes, Hall, Harkey, | | |John A. Perez, Ruskin, | |Jones, Miller, John A. | | |Smyth | |Perez, Price, Skinner, | | | | |Solorio, Audra | | | | |Strickland, Torlakson | |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------| | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY : Requires the California Veterinary Medical Board (Board) to offer the veterinary licensing exam 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 (RVT); and, makes other technical and conforming changes to the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act. Specifically, this bill : 1)Clarifies that the Governor appoints five members to the Board, including one public member. 2)Requires the Board to give the veterinary licensing examination at least twice a year. 3)Delineates reciprocity requirements, and requires the Board to waive certain examination requirements and issue a license to an applicant who fulfills such requirements. This bill also allows an applicant to use a certificate issued by the Program for Assessment of Education Equivalence to fulfill the education requirement for purposes of reciprocity. 4)Requires the Board to issue a temporary license valid for one year to an eligible applicant who agrees to complete the approved educational curriculum on regionally specific and AB 107 Page 2 important diseases and conditions in California during the period of temporary licensure, and who meets all other specified reciprocity requirements. 5)Allows the Board to extend the expiration date of a temporary license for not more than one year. 6)Clarifies under what conditions the Board may place on probation, revoke, suspend the registration of, or take other enforcement action against a RVT. 7)Makes various technical and conforming amendments. EXISTING LAW : 1)Provides for the examination, licensure, and regulation of veterinarians and RVTs by the Board. 2)Requires the Board to ascertain by means of examination given at least once each year, the professional qualifications of applicants for licensure and to issue a license to every qualified applicant. 3)Delineates reciprocity requirements, and requires the Board to waive certain examination requirements and issue a temporary license valid for one year to a qualified applicant to practice veterinary medicine under the supervision of a licensed California veterinarian. FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee analysis: 1)Costs associated with computer programming changes and workload increases would be approximately $110,000 from the Veterinary Medical Board Contingent Fund for 2009-10, with an ongoing annual cost of $70,000 from the same fund. 2)This bill would increase licensing revenue by approximately $25,000 in the first and second years, growing to $50,000 in 2011-12, and continuing to grow by $25,000 a year as 100 new veterinarians are licensed each year. 3)The Department of Consumer Affairs estimates this will result in an increase of 100 veterinarians in California each year. Currently, approximately 12% of veterinarians treat farm AB 107 Page 3 animals. If the purpose of this bill is to attract more agricultural veterinarians, this legislation would result in 12 more of these veterinarians in the state each year with a net annual cost of $3,750 per newly licensed agricultural veterinarian. COMMENTS : According to the author's office, "There is a current veterinarian shortage in California, particularly affecting the agricultural communities. Part of the shortage problem is the fact that current law only requires the Board to offer the veterinary licensing test once a year, thus driving otherwise qualified veterinarians to leave the state in order to test for their license and find employment. Current law is also very cumbersome to practicing veterinarians in other states who would like to practice in California. "AB 107 would authorize the Board to offer the veterinary licensing exam at least twice a year, which would allow a greater number of candidates to test for their license. AB 107 will also revise current law to provide different paths for licensed veterinarians from other states to receive reciprocity. With such a high demand for veterinarians in California, it is vital that there is no added bureaucracy preventing veterinary school graduates or licensed veterinarians from other states from becoming licensed California veterinarians. AB 107 is an important bill that will ease this existing burden, and allow for more veterinarians in California." Analysis Prepared by : Whitney Clark / B. & P. / (916) 319-3301 FN: 0000242