Bill Text: CA SB1233 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

---

Bill Title: Postsecondary education: veterinary medicine: spay and neuter techniques.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-09-26 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 613, Statutes of 2024. [SB1233 Detail]

Download: California-2023-SB1233-Amended.html

---

Amended  IN  Senate  April 02, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 1233

---

Introduced by Senator Wilk

February 15, 2024

---

An act to add Article 6.2 (commencing with Section 92653) to Chapter 6 of Part 57 of Division 9 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to the University of California. postsecondary education.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1233, as amended, Wilk. University of California: Western University of Health Sciences: veterinary medicine: spay and neuter techniques.

Existing law establishes the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in the state. Existing law vests the University of California with exclusive jurisdiction in public higher education over instruction in the profession of law and over graduate instruction in the professions of medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine.

This bill would request that require the Regents of the University of California jointly develop with and the governing body of the Western University of Health Sciences standards and guidelines for to develop high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter surgical techniques and jointly implement the developed standards and guidelines in certification programs to be offered as elective coursework for to students enrolled in veterinary medicine programs at the University of California, Davis, and the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, and a high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter certification program to be made available Medicine, as provided. The bill would require the certification programs to also be offered to licensed California-licensed veterinarians and registered California-registered veterinary technicians. technicians, as provided.

The bill would require the certification programs to make available to the public low- or no-cost ovariectomies, ovariohysterectomies, or gonadectomies for cats and dogs that are performed by program participants, as provided. The bill would require the University of California, Davis, and the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine to triennially publish a public progress report on certification program activities, as specified.

This bill would apply to the University of California only to the extent that the regents, by appropriate resolution, make it apply, and to the Western University of Health Sciences only to the extent that the Office of the Provost makes it apply.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

---

Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 Article 6.2 (commencing with Section 92653) is added to Chapter 6 of Part 57 of Division 9 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:

Article  6.2. California High-Quality, High-Volume Spay and Neuter Certification Programs.

92653.

 (a) The Regents of the University of California and the governing body of the Western University of Health Sciences shall develop high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter certification programs to be offered as elective coursework to students enrolled at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine and the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine. The certification programs shall do all of the following:

(1) Provide training in techniques to facilitate safe and efficient ovariectomy, ovariohysterectomy, and gonadectomy of cats and dogs.

(2) Use and support best practices for high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter procedures and services.

(3) Consist of both classroom and surgery lab training.

(4) Require students to successfully complete a number of ovariectomies, ovariohysterectomies, and gonadectomies under the high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter model, as determined by the programs.

(b) If there are program spaces available after students have enrolled, the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine and the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine shall allow California-licensed veterinarians and California-registered veterinary technicians to enroll in the certification program for continuing education and certification purposes.

(1) A university that offers the certification program pursuant to this section shall provide a California-licensed veterinarian or California-registered veterinary technician who successfully completes the certification program with a certificate of completion and a written confirmation of the number of hours spent in active high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter practice.

(2) A California-licensed veterinarian or California-registered veterinary technician who successfully completes the certification program shall receive continuing education credit for program participation.

(3) The curriculum offered to a California-registered veterinary technician pursuant to this subdivision shall be consistent with current law and shall include, among other topics, all of the following:

(A) Surgical preparation of the patient.

(B) Anesthesia induction and maintenance.

(C) Subcutaneous and cutaneous tissue closure.

(D) Anesthesia recovery.

(E) Emergency and critical care considerations using techniques under the high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter model.

(4) A certification program offered pursuant to this subdivision shall require a California-licensed veterinarian to successfully complete a number of ovariectomies, ovariohysterectomies, and gonadectomies under the high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter model, as determined by the program.

(5) A certification program offered pursuant to this subdivision may charge a reasonable fee to cover the costs associated with offering the program to a California-licensed veterinarian or a California-registered veterinary technician. A fee charged pursuant to this paragraph shall be paid directly to the university offering the program.

(c) A certification program offered pursuant to this section shall do all of the following:

(1) Make available to the public low- or no-cost ovariectomies, ovariohysterectomies, or gonadectomies for cats and dogs that are performed by students or California-licensed veterinarians enrolled in the program.

(2) Develop policies and procedures that prioritize qualifying for the services described in paragraph (1) based on, at a minimum, income and socioeconomic status.

(3) Ensure that the training and care provided or coordinated by the program is at a standard of care that is consistent with those standards of care generally accepted within the veterinary profession.

(d) A university that offers a certification program pursuant to this section shall publicly publish, every three years, a progress report that describes the activities of the program. The progress report shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following information:

(1) The number of cat and dog ovariectomies, ovariohysterectomies, and gonadectomies performed under the program.

(2) The number of certifications issued by the program.

(3) The costs associated with implementing and administering the program.

(4) The subsidized cost, if any, of surgical services provided to the public pursuant to subdivision (c).

(e) A university that offers a certification program pursuant to this section shall determine the best available location or locations to host the program including, but not limited to, any of the following locations:

(1) On-campus facilities.

(2) A public animal control agency or shelter.

(3) A society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter.

(4) A humane society shelter.

(5) A rescue group shelter.

(f) A certification program offered pursuant to this section shall be funded through a combination of private fund donations and General Fund moneys, subject to an appropriation being made in the Budget Act of 2024.

(g) This section shall not authorize California-registered veterinary technician to perform surgical procedures.

(h) (1) This section shall apply to the University of California only to the extent that the regents, by appropriate resolution, make any of these provisions applicable to the university.

(2) This section shall apply to the Western University of Health Sciences only to the extent that the Office of the Provost makes any of these provisions applicable to the university.

SECTION 1.Article 6.2 (commencing with Section 92653) is added to Chapter 6 of Part 57 of Division 9 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:

6.2.High-Quality, High-Volume Spay and Neuter Surgical Techniques.

92653.

The Legislature requests that the Regents of the University of California do both of the following:

(a)Jointly develop with the governing body of the Western University of Health Sciences standards and guidelines for high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter surgical techniques.

(b)Jointly implement with the governing body of the Western University of Health Sciences the standards and guidelines developed pursuant to subdivision (a) in both of the following:

(1)Elective coursework for veterinary medicine programs at the University of California, Davis, and the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine.

(2)A high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter certification program that is made available to licensed veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians.