SB 602: Veterinarians: veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law, the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, establishes the California Veterinary Medical Board within the Department of Consumer Affairs for the licensure and regulation of veterinarians and the practice of veterinary medicine and makes a violation of the act a crime. Existing law authorizes a veterinarian to allow a registered veterinary technician to act as an agent of the veterinarian for the purpose of establishing the veterinarian-client-patient relationship to administer preventive or prophylactic vaccines or medications for the control or eradication of apparent or anticipated internal or external parasites by satisfying specified conditions, including, among other things, imposing different requirements relating to the proximity of the veterinarian depending upon where the registered veterinarian technician is administering the vaccine or medication. Specifically, existing law requires either that the veterinarian is physically present at the premises when the registered veterinary technician is working at a registered veterinary premises, or, if working at a location other than a registered veterinary premises, that the veterinarian is in the general vicinity or available by telephone and is quickly and easily available.

This bill would revise the above-described condition to authorize a registered veterinary technician to administer the vaccine or medication in a registered veterinary premises that is a public animal control agency or shelter, private animal shelter, humane society shelter, or society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter when the veterinarian is in the general vicinity or available by telephone and is quickly and easily available.

Because a violation of the bill’s provisions would be a crime under the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. October 10, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 589, Statutes of 2025.
2. October 10, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. September 2, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.
4. August 25, 2025Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 2253.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. August 21, 2025Ordered to special consent calendar.
6. July 17, 2025In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
7. July 17, 2025Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 75. Noes 0. Page 2595.) Ordered to the Senate.
8. July 10, 2025Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
9. July 9, 2025From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (July 9).
10. June 24, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
11. June 18, 2025From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.
12. May 19, 2025Referred to Com. on B. & P.