SB 1233: 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 require request the Regents of the University of California and the governing body of the Western University of Health Sciences Sciences, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to develop high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter certification programs to be offered as elective coursework to students enrolled in veterinary medicine programs at the University of California, Davis, and the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, their respective institutions, as provided. The bill would require the certification programs to also be offered to California-licensed veterinarians and California-registered veterinary 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, California 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.