Healing arts: Veterinary Medical Board.

(1) Existing law, the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, provides for the licensure and registration of veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians and the regulation of the practice of veterinary medicine by the Veterinary Medical Board. Under existing law, the board consists of 8 members: 3 public members, 4 licensed veterinarians, and one registered veterinary technician. Existing law repeals the provisions establishing the board, and authorizing the board to appoint an executive officer as, of January 1, 2014. Under existing law, the board is subject to evaluation by the Joint Sunset Review Committee prior to its repeal. This bill would provide that those provisions are instead repealed as of January 1, 2016. This bill would, upon repeal, require that the board be subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature. (2) Existing law permits the board, at any time, to inspect the premises in which veterinary medicine, veterinary dentistry, or veterinary surgery is being practiced. This bill would exclude nonprofit animal rescue or adoption centers from inspection. (3) Existing law requires the board to establish a regular inspection program that will provide for random, unannounced inspections. This bill would require the board to make every effort to inspect at least 20% of veterinary premises on an annual basis. (4) Existing law requires the board to establish an advisory committee, the Veterinary Medicine Multidisciplinary Advisory Committee, to assist, advise, and make recommendations for the implementation of rules and regulations necessary to ensure proper administration and enforcement of specified provisions and to assist the board in its examination, licensure, and registration programs. Existing law requires that members of the multidisciplinary committee to be appointed by the board from lists of nominees solicited by the board. Existing law requires the committee to consist of 7 members, with 4 licensed veterinarians, 2 registered veterinary technicians, and one public member. This bill would expand the committee to 9 members, to include a veterinarian member of the board and the registered veterinarian technician of the board, both of whom would serve concurrently with their term of office. The bill would make other technical and conforming changes. (5) Existing law permits a registered veterinary technician or a veterinary assistant to administer a drug, including, but not limited to, a drug that is a controlled substance, under the direct or indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian when done pursuant to the order, control, and full professional responsibility of a licensed veterinarian. Existing law limits access to controlled substances by veterinary assistants to persons who have undergone a background check and who, to the best of the licensee manager's knowledge, do not have any drug or alcohol related felony convictions. Existing law repeals these provisions on January 1, 2015. This bill would make these provisions operative indefinitely and limit access to controlled substances by veterinary assistants to person who have obtained a valid permit from the board. The bill would, as part of the application for a permit, require the board to require an applicant to furnish a set of fingerprints for purposes of conducting a criminal history record check. The bill would make the permit requirement contingent on the board receiving sufficient staffing and a fee to cover its costs to implement the permit program.