Amended in Assembly March 26, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 317


Introduced by Assembly Member Maienschein

February 13, 2015


An act tobegin delete amend Section 921 ofend deletebegin insert add Section 4853.7 toend insert the Business and Professions Code, relating tobegin delete healing artsend deletebegin insert veterinary medicineend insert.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 317, as amended, Maienschein. begin deleteHealth care professionals. end deletebegin insertVeterinary medicine: temporary shelter facility.end insert

begin insert

Under existing law, the Veterinary Medical Board licenses and regulates veterinarians and the practice of veterinary medicine. It is unlawful for any person to practice veterinary medicine in this state unless he or she holds a valid, unexpired, and unrevoked license issued by the board, except under specified circumstances.

end insert
begin insert

Existing law requires the registration of all premises where veterinary medicine, veterinary dentistry, or veterinary surgery is being practiced. Existing law also requires these premises, and all instruments, apparatus, and apparel used in connection with those practices, to be kept clean and sanitary at all times, and to conform to those minimum standards established by the board. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to violate these provisions regulating the practice of veterinary medicine.

end insert
begin insert

This bill would exempt from the premises registration requirements an organization that establishes a temporary shelter facility during a state of emergency to provide veterinary medical care by a veterinarian who is regularly licensed in another state or territory of the United States if the temporary shelter facility meets specified requirements.

end insert
begin delete

Existing law, the Health Care Professional Disaster Response Act, states findings of the Legislature regarding the shortage of qualified health care practitioners during times of national or state disasters, and authorizes a physician and surgeon, whose license has been expired for less than 5 years and who meets specified criteria, to obtain a license without paying fees.

end delete
begin delete

This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to those provisions.

end delete

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2    1begin insert

begin insertSECTION 1.end insert  

end insert

begin insertSection 4853.7 is added to the end insertbegin insertBusiness and
2Professions Code
end insert
begin insert, to read:end insert

begin insert
3

begin insert4853.7.end insert  

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter,
4an organization that establishes a temporary shelter facility to
5provide veterinary medical care, shelter, and food and water
6during a state of emergency, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section
78558, by a veterinarian who is regularly licensed in another state
8or territory of the United States shall be exempt from the premises
9registration requirements of this chapter if the following
10requirements are met:

11(a) A notice is posted in a conspicuous location that the
12temporary shelter facility is being used for the diagnosis and
13treatment of animals affected by the state of emergency and that
14this diagnosis and treatment is provided by a veterinarian who is
15licensed in another state or territory of the United States.

16(b) The temporary shelter facility complies with the standards
17established pursuant to Section 4854.

18(c) The temporary shelter ceases operations within 60 days after
19its establishment unless the board grants an extension of this date
20to protect the public health and safety of the animals within the
21temporary shelter.

end insert
begin delete

  

22

SECTION 1.  

Section 921 of the Business and Professions Code
23 is amended to read:

24

921.  

(a) The Legislature finds and declares the following:

25(1) In times of national or state disasters, a shortage of qualified
26health care practitioners may exist in areas throughout the state
27where they are desperately required to respond to public health
28emergencies.

P3    1(2) Health care practitioners with lapsed or inactive licenses
2could potentially serve in those areas where a shortage of qualified
3health care practitioners exists, if licensing requirements were
4streamlined and fees curtailed.

5(b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to address these
6matters through the provisions of the Health Care Professional
7Disaster Response Act.

end delete


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