2022 Legislative Wrap-Up

September 30 marked the official end of the 2022 California legislative session as the governor completed his review of all legislation and either endorsed, vetoed, or allowed to pass over 900 bills that made their way to his desk—a fraction of the 5,122 bills introduced back in February. The CVMA legislative team worked on over two dozen bills that impacted the veterinary profession. While the majority of those bills did not survive the legislative process, several important bills made it across the finish line. Below is an update on some of the more significant bills that the CVMA followed this year.

AB 1885 (Kalra) Cannabis and cannabis products: animals: veterinary medicine

Status: Signed by the Governor

CVMA Position: Support

This bill will expand a veterinarian’s ability to communicate with clients about cannabis use in pets by making it lawful to recommend cannabis within the context of a valid veterinarianclient-patient relationship (VCPR) for all species except horses and livestock. The CVMA discussed concerns with lawmakers about the need for all veterinarians to be able to have complete conversations with clients about cannabis, but ultimately the bill was amended to only allow cannabis recommendations for select species. Additionally, the recommendation concession does not extend to veterinarians who are employed by or who have an agreement with a cannabis licensee.

The bill requires the Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) to adopt and post guidelines by January 1, 2024 for veterinarians to follow when recommending cannabis within an established VCPR. The bill also requires that cannabis products intended for animals comply with additional concentration and other regulatory standards adopted by the Bureau of Cannabis Control by no later than July 1, 2025, and prohibits the marketing or sale of those products before the regulations take effect.

AB 2606 (Carrillo): Cats: declawing procedures: prohibition

Status: Held in Committee

CVMA Position: Oppose

This bill was held in the Senate Business, Professions, and Economic Development Committee and will not progress this year. It would have restricted veterinarians from performing a declaw procedure on cats unless conducted for a “therapeutic” purpose.

The CVMA was opposed to this bill because it would have prohibited a veterinary medical procedure. While the CVMA generally discourages declawing as an elective procedure and supports non-surgical alternatives thereto, we work to preserve the profession’s right to govern itself and believe that veterinarians need to have the ability to make decisions that are best for clients and patients on a case-by-case basis.

AB 1881 (Santiago) Animal welfare: Dog and Cat Bill of Rights

Status: Held on Senate Floor

CVMA Position: Neutral, as amended

This bill requires public animal control agencies, animal shelters, and rescue groups in California to provide notice to the public— either by posting in public view or by information provided at the time of adoption—that dogs and cats deserve certain provisions and freedoms. Examples include “freedom from exploitation, cruelty, neglect, or abuse,” among others.

CVMA worked with the American Kennel Club, Animal Health Institute, and the author’s office to remove problematic language earlier in the Session. As such, CVMA was able to remove its “oppose” position and modify that position to “neutral.”

This bill did not garner enough votes to pass the Senate and is therefore dead for the year.

SB 1029 (Hurtado): One Health Program: zoonotic diseases

Status: Signed by the Governor

CVMA Position: Approve

CVMA supported SB 1029, which requires the California Department of Public Health, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture to jointly establish and administer the One Health Program for the purpose of developing a framework for interagency coordination in responding to zoonotic diseases and reducing hazards to human and nonhuman animal health. The framework will be informed by consulting a stakeholder group, which may include schools within the University of California system, the California Veterinary Medical Board, the Medical Board of California, and other groups.

CVMA Legislative Action Center

For specific information on bills or to track CVMA-monitored bills through the legislative process, visit the CVMA’s online Legislative Action Center. CVMA members can login to the site for detailed information on each bill.