An act to amend Section 4840 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.
Summary
AB 516 revises California’s Veterinary Medicine Practice Act to broaden what registered veterinary technicians (RVTs) and veterinary assistants may do under veterinarian supervision. The bill changes the default rule from allowing only services “prescribed by law” to allowing animal health care services “not otherwise prohibited by law,” which expands the practical scope of practice for both RVTs and veterinary assistants. It also specifically extends authority to work on animals in public and private shelters, humane societies, and societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals when acting under a veterinarian’s direct, written, or telephonic order.
The bill further authorizes RVTs to perform dental care procedures, including tooth extractions, under veterinarian supervision. It also preserves and clarifies related authorities for RVTs, including the ability to apply for DEA registration to directly purchase sodium pentobarbital for euthanasia and to act as an agent of the supervising veterinarian in establishing the veterinarian-client-patient relationship for certain preventive treatments and parasite control. The bill amends Business and Professions Code Section 4840 and is chaptered as Chapter 371, Statutes of 2025.
Impact
AB 516 expands the statutory scope of practice for registered veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants under the Business and Professions Code, affecting how veterinary care can be delivered in clinics and animal shelter settings. It gives shelters, humane societies, and animal cruelty prevention organizations more flexibility to use trained staff for treatment, monitoring, disease control, pain management, and euthanasia-related protocols under veterinarian direction. It also authorizes RVTs to perform dental procedures, including extractions, which is a significant change in the range of services they may provide. The bill does not create a new program or appropriation, but it does alter professional practice rules enforced by the California Veterinary Medical Board and affects veterinarians, RVTs, veterinary assistants, and animal welfare organizations.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment around AB 516 appears strongly favorable. The bill advanced with unanimous or near-unanimous votes at multiple stages, including committee and floor votes with no recorded opposition in the provided history. Its movement to the consent calendar and final concurrence vote suggest broad bipartisan or noncontroversial support. The absence of committee transcript material also suggests there was little publicly recorded debate in the materials provided.
Contention
No major contention is reflected in the available vote history or transcripts. The main policy issue implicit in the bill is the expansion of delegated veterinary authority, especially allowing veterinary assistants and RVTs to perform broader services and permitting RVTs to do dental extractions. Potential concerns, if raised, would likely center on patient safety, supervision standards, and whether certain procedures should remain limited to licensed veterinarians. However, the recorded legislative action shows no visible opposition, indicating those concerns either were not prominent or were resolved during the bill process.
An act to amend Sections 4825.1, 4826.6, 4827, 4830, 4840.5, 4858, 4858.1, 4858.2, 4900, 4901, 4902, and 4905 of, to add Sections 4846.3, 4846.4, and 4848.2 to, and to repeal Sections 4843.5 and 4844 of, the Business and Professions Code, relating to professions and vocations.
An act to add Article 10 (commencing with Section 1980) to Chapter 4 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts. amend Section 84513 of the Government Code, relating to the Political Reform Act of 1974.
An act to repeal and add Article 14 (commencing with Section 2340) of Chapter 5 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.