BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1980
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1980 (Hayashi)
As Amended August 10, 2010
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | |(May 6, 2010) |SENATE: |35-0 |(August 12, |
| | | | | |2010) |
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(vote not relevant)
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|COMMITTEE VOTE: |9-0 |(August 24, 2010) |RECOMMENDATION: |concur |
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Original Committee Reference: B.,P. & C.P.
SUMMARY : Changes the composition of the Veterinary Medical Board
(Board) and amends provisions to the Veterinary Medicine Act (Act).
The Senate amendments delete the Assembly version of this bill, and
instead:
1) Add one registered veterinarian technician (RVT) to the Board,
to be appointed by the Governor, and specifies that the RVT
shall be a bona fide resident of this state for a period of at
least five years immediately preceding his or her appointment
and shall have been registered with the Board and actually
engaged in the practice of RVT during that period.
2) Extend the inoperative date and repeal date of the Board to
January 1, 2014.
3) Provide that the current multidisciplinary committee of the
Board shall be re-named the "Veterinary Medicine
Multidisciplinary Advisory Committee" (VMMA Committee) and that
in addition to its current responsibilities it shall also assist
the Board in its examination, licensure, and registration
programs.
4) Provide that the VMMA Committee shall consist of seven members,
four licensed veterinarians, two registered veterinary
technicians, and one public member, and require members to serve
AB 1980
Page 2
for three year terms, as specified. Also authorizes the Board
to remove a member of the VMMA Committee for continued neglect
of duty, incompetence, or unprofessional conduct.
5) Provide that the VMMA Committee shall represent a sufficient
cross section of the interests in veterinary medicine in order
to address the issues before it, as determined by the Board,
including veterinarians, RVTs, and members of the public.
6) Delete the inoperative date and repeal date of the VMMA
Committee, thereby extending it indefinitely.
7) Abolish the RVT Committee as of July 1 following the appointment
of a RVT to the Board.
8) Specify that existing rodeo animal injury reporting requirement
under the Act applies regardless of whether the attending or
on-call veterinarian renders the treatment to the animal,
requires a veterinarian who subsequently renders treatment to an
animal known to be injured at a rodeo event to report to the
Board within seven days, and for the Board to post a form on its
website for purposes of this requirement.
9) Prohibit a person from using the title "RVT" or "veterinary
technician," or any other words, letters, or symbols, including,
but not limited to, the abbreviation "RVT," with the intent to
represent that the person is authorized to act as an RVT, unless
he or she has met specified requirements.
10)Require an "unregistered assistant" to be trained in the area of
radiation safety and techniques in order to operate radiographic
equipment under the direct supervision of an RVT or licensed
veterinarian and would require the responsible managing licensee
of the veterinary premises to maintain records of that training.
If records do not exist of this training then the "unregistered
assistant" shall not operate radiographic equipment. The
training records shall be made available to the Board upon
request and at the time of any inspection of the veterinary
premises.
11)Provide that the requirements for examination and registration
as a RVT shall not apply to students in the clinical portion of
their final year of study in a Board-approved California
veterinary technology program who perform the job tasks for RVTs
as part of their educational experience, including students both
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Page 3
on and off campus acting under the supervision of a licensed
veterinarian "in good standing," as defined. The Board shall
adopt regulations defining the parameters of supervision for
these students.
12)Make other conforming, technical and clarifying changes to the
Act.
13)Exempt veterinarians and RVTs for services rendered to animals
during a state of war, state of emergency, or local emergency if
provided at the express or implied request of any responsible
state or local official or agency.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides for the regulation of the practice of veterinary
medicine by the Board and prohibits that practice without a
license.
2)Provides for the examination, licensing, and regulation of
veterinarians and RVTs by the Board in the Department of
Consumer Affairs.
3)Establishes the Board which consists of seven members, three
of whom are public members and four of whom are licensed
veterinarians, and requires the Governor to appoint the four
licensed veterinarians and the Senate Committee on Rules and
the Speaker of the Assembly to each appoint a public member,
and specifies the requirements for the veterinarian and
public members of the Board.
4)Provides that the Board shall become inoperative on July 1,
2011, and, as of January 1, 2012, is repealed, unless a
later enacted statute, which becomes effective on or before
January 1, 2012, deletes or extends those dates. Subjects
the Board to the process of sunset review prior to its
repeal.
5)Requires the Board to appoint a voluntary, advisory
multidisciplinary committee of no more than nine members to
assist, advise, and make recommendations for the
implementation of rules and regulations necessary to ensure
proper administration and enforcement of the Act, and
provides that that the multidisciplinary committee shall
become inoperative on July 1, 2011, and repealed as of
AB 1980
Page 4
January 1, 2012.
6)Requires the Board to establish an advisory committee on
issues pertaining to the practice of veterinary technicians,
to be known as the RVT Committee, and provides that the
duties of the RVT Committee include, among other things,
advising and assisting the Board in the examination of
applicants for veterinary technician registration, the
inspection and approval of schools, and developing
regulations to establish animal health care tasks and the
appropriate degree of supervision.
7)Requires that the Board shall, by means of examination,
ascertain the professional qualifications of all applicants
for licensure to practice veterinary medicine in this state
and shall issue a license to every person whom it finds to
be qualified.
8)Requires the examination for veterinarians to consist of a
licensing examination that is administered on a national
basis, a state Board examination, and an examination
concerning the statutes and regulations of the Act
administered by the Board.
9)Provides that any person performing any of the tasks as
designated by the Board and any person representing himself
or herself as a RVT in this state, shall hold a valid
unexpired certificate of registration as provided by the
Board.
10)Specifies that a RVT means a person who is registered by
the Board if they have passed a written and practical
examination, as specified, and has met the certain
educational and clinical experience requirements.
11)Authorizes an RVT who has been examined by the Board in the
area of radiation safety and techniques to operate
radiographic equipment under the indirect supervision of a
licensed veterinarian, and allows an "unregistered
assistant" to operate radiographic equipment under the
direct supervision of a RVT or licensed veterinarian.
12)Requires the attending or on-call veterinarian at a rodeo
event to submit a brief written listing of any animal injury
requiring veterinary treatment to the Board within 48 hours
AB 1980
Page 5
of the conclusion of the event.
13)Exempts certain healing arts practitioners from liability
for specified medical services rendered during a state of
war, state of emergency, or local emergency.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill authorized the administration
of first aid to sick, injured, homeless, or unwanted domestic pets
or animals by employees of an animal control shelter or humane
society.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations Committee,
pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : This bill was substantially amended in the Senate and
the Assembly-approved provisions of this bill were deleted.
Subsequently, the Senate-approved version of this bill was heard
and passed from the Assembly Business, Profession and Consumer
Protection Committee.
Analysis Prepared by : Rebecca May / B.,P. & C.P. / (916)
319-3301
FN: 0006733