BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 2000
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 28, 2010

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                    AB 2000 (Hagman) - As Amended:  April 5, 2010 

          Policy Committee:                              AgricultureVote:7  
          - 0 

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill exempts from vaccination requirements the owner of a  
          dog that a licensed veterinarian determines has a compromised  
          immune system or pre-existing condition that renders the vaccine  
          dangerous to the animal's health. Specifically, this bill: 

          1)Exempts certain dogs from vaccine requirements if they have a  
            compromised immune system or other health problem.

          2)Requires the Department of Public Health (DPH) to develop a  
            standardized form for the request for an exemption.

          3)Requires that a local health officer quarantine a dog that is  
            exempt from the canine anti-rabies vaccination until the  
            medical condition has resolved itself. 

          4)Requires the responsible city or county to report all  
            exemptions issued to DPH. 

          5)Limits the license period for an exempt dog to one year. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          DPH costs of approximately $40,000 for one half of 2010-11 and  
          $80,000 for 2011-12 for a veterinary research scientist to amend  
          the regulations and develop the exemption form. 

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . Supporters state this bill is needed to put a dog's  
            health in the hands of veterinarians and dog owners, instead  








                                                                  AB 2000
                                                                  Page  2

            of at the discretion of local health officers.  According to  
            the author, there are often issues with health-compromised  
            dogs and further health problems associated with the canine  
            anti-rabies vaccination.  Supporters also contend that rabies  
            has been effectively eradicated in the pet dog population in  
            California.
           
          2)Background  . Existing law requires every dog owner to, once the  
            dog is older than four months, obtain a dog license from the  
            responsible local government at least every two years, and  
            obtain a canine anti-rabies vaccine every year.  The law  
            allows local governments to pass ordinances, for the issuance  
            of a dog license for a period not to exceed three years for  
            dogs older then 12 months that have been vaccinated against  
            rabies.  The person to whom the license is issued may choose a  
            license period as established by the governing body, except  
            that the license shall not extend beyond the validity for the  
            current anti-rabies vaccination.  

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081