BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair

                                           107 (Galgiani)
          
          Hearing Date:  6/29/2009        Amended: 6/1/2009
          Consultant:  Bob Franzoia       Policy Vote: B,P&ED  7-0
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____
          BILL SUMMARY: AB 107 would modify the examination requirements  
          for registration as a veterinary technician on and after January  
          1, 2011, to require that an applicant for registration pass both  
          a national licensing examination and an examination specific to  
          the animal health care tasks limited to California registered  
          veterinary technicians, as approved by the Veterinary Medical  
          Board (VMB).  This bill would authorize the VMB to assess fines  
          on, issue citations, and place on probation, a registered  
          veterinary technician who violates the Veterinary Medicine  
          Practice Act and make provisions of the act relative to  
          revocation and reinstatement of licenses applicable to  
          veterinary technician registrations.  This bill would require  
          that the VMB exam for licensure as a veterinarian be given at  
          least twice a year, require the VMB to waive the exam  
          requirement and issue a license to an applicant if he or she  
          meets certain requirements and would revise the requirements for  
          issuance of a temporary license to practice veterinary medicine.  
           Because fees for the reinstatement of a revoked veterinary  
          technician registration collected by the VMB would be deposited  
          in the Veterinary Medical Board Contingent Fund, which is a  
          continuously appropriated fund, this bill would make an  
          appropriation.  
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____
                            Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions         2009-10      2010-11       2011-12     Fund
           Veterinarian exam and  $110       $68         $68       Special*
          licensing revisions 

          (revenue)              ($25)      ($25)       ($50)      
          Special**

          * Veterinary Medical Board Contingent Fund (VMBCF)
          ** VMBCF - $50 annually, ongoing from an increase in licensure  
          of out-of-state veterinarians
          _________________________________________________________________ 










          ____

          STAFF COMMENTS:

          Currently, the Governor appoints four members of the VMB and the  
          Senate and Assembly each appoint a public member.  Under this  
          bill, the Governor would appoint five members, with one being a  
          public member.  The Senate and Assembly appointment criteria  
          would not change.
          
          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 VMB 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
          Page 2
          AB 107 (Galgiani)

          for a minimum of two years and completed a minimum of 2,944  
          hours of clinical practice.

          It is estimated the provisions of this bill will increase by 100  
          the number of veterinary licenses issued annually.

          Chapter 529/2008 (SB 1584, Padilla) increased the maximum  
          amounts the VMB may set for specified fees.  (The VMB must adopt  
          regulations in order to increase a fee to a statutory cap.)   
          Chapter 529/2008 also deleted the requirement that the VMB set  
          and collect a fee for the national licensing examination, and  
          required an application fee to be paid by a school or  
          institution seeking approval of registered veterinary technician  
          curriculum.  These provisions addressed potential revenue  
          shortfall problems with the VMBCF.

          This bill is similar to AB 1760 (Galgiani) 2008 which was vetoed  
          with the following message: The historic delay in passing the  
          2008-09 State Budget has forced me to prioritize the bills sent  
          to my desk at the end of the year's legislative session.  Given  
          the delay, I am only signing bills that are the highest priority  
          for California.  This bill does not meet that standard and I  
          cannot sign it at this time.

          This bill differs in that it would modify the examination  










          requirements for registration as a veterinary technician on and  
          after January 1, 2011, to instead require that an applicant pass  
          both a national licensing examination and an examination  
          formatted for California veterinary technicians.