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)
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 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 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.
AB 1980
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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) Specifies 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 on and off campus acting
under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian "in good
AB 1980
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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 January 1, 2012.
AB 1980
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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 have 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 of the conclusion of the event.
AB 1980
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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.
Analysis Prepared by : Rebecca May / B.,P. & C.P. / (916)
319-3301 FN:
0005811