BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 1839
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 18, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                  AB 1839 (Ma) - As Introduced:  February 22, 2012 

          Policy Committee:                              Business and 
          Professions  Vote:                            9 - 0 

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          The bill deletes a July 1, 2013 sunset and permanently allows 
          veterinary assistants to administer controlled substances if 
          certain requirements are satisfied, including completion of a 
          fingerprint background check. In addition, the bill authorizes 
          the Veterinary Medical Board (VMB), in consultation with the 
          Board of Pharmacy (BOP), to limit access to specified dangerous 
          drugs.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Any costs associated with this legislation would be minor and 
          absorbable within existing resources.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . This bill removes a January 1, 2013, sunset date in 
            current law which allows veterinary assistants and veterinary 
            technicians to administer controlled substances to animals.  
            In addition, the bill specifies the conditions under which 
            those assistants and technicians may have access to those 
            substances. 

            The co-sponsors of the bill, California Registered Veterinary 
            Technician Association, note "The previous, temporary bills 
            that concerned the administration of controlled substances by 
            unlicensed veterinary personnel did not require fingerprinting 
            or background checking of these individuals.  We feel very 
            strongly that by adding this requirement, we are protecting 
            our patients and the public from potential harm."









                                                                  AB 1839
                                                                  Page  2

           2)Related Legislation  . SB 969 (Aanestad), Chapter 83, Statutes 
            of 2007, provided that veterinary technicians and assistants 
            can administer drugs under the indirect supervision of a 
            licensed veterinarian.  

            SB 943 (Business, Professions and Economic Development 
            Committee), Chapter 350, Statutes of 2011, extended the sunset 
            date authorizing veterinary technicians and assistants to 
            administer drugs under the indirect supervision of a licensed 
            veterinarian to January 1, 2013.


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