Board president reports on sunset hearing, licensing changes; member Barry Grant to leave in June

At the April 15 meeting the California Veterinary Medical Board president reported on the board’s March 3 sunset hearing and highlighted several administrative improvements including licensing process modernization and enforcement staffing increases.

The president told members that the board has fully interfaced with the American Association of Veterinary State Boards to receive electronic examination results directly into the BREACE system, which eliminated manual data entry. In partnership with AAVSB, the board secured continuous availability of the national exam and reduced score-reporting time from as long as six weeks to under one week, staff said.

The president also reported enforcement and inspection enhancements: an expanded enforcement team, merged inspection and enforcement units, and the $600,000 grant-funded mobile inspection application (launched November 2024), which staff said has increased inspection capacity and reduced SME costs.

The report addressed stakeholder concerns raised during the sunset hearing, including services provided to animals by human health-care professionals, owner exemptions for veterinary care in rural areas and the unavailability of certain medications. The board said it is engaged in ongoing discussions with the Board of Pharmacy about compounded medication access.

The president announced that board member Dr. Barry Grant will not seek reappointment; his term ends in June 2025. The president said she will temporarily assume Dr. Grant’s liaison responsibilities to the multidisciplinary advisory committee and to the unlicensed practice subcommittee.

The president closed by noting the board’s strategic-plan progress and staff compliance with Form 700 filing deadlines. Board members thanked Dr. Grant for his service during a brief recognition ceremony.