(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a registered veterinary technician or a veterinary assistant may administer a drug, including, but not limited to, a drug that is a controlled substance, under the direct or indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian when done pursuant to the order, control, and full professional responsibility of a licensed veterinarian. However, no person, other than a licensed veterinarian, may induce anesthesia unless authorized by regulation of the board.
(b) Prior to authorizing a veterinary assistant to obtain or administer a controlled substance by the order of a supervising veterinarian, the licensee manager in a veterinary practice shall conduct a background check on that veterinary assistant. A veterinary assistant who has a drug- or alcohol-related felony conviction, as indicated in the background check, shall be prohibited from obtaining or administering controlled substances.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), if the Veterinary Medical Board, in consultation with the Board of Pharmacy, identifies a dangerous drug, as defined in Section 4022, as a drug that has an established pattern of being diverted, the Veterinary Medical Board may restrict access to that drug by veterinary assistants.
(d) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Controlled substance” has the same meaning as that term is defined in Section 11007 of the Health and Safety Code.
(2) “Direct supervision” has the same meaning as that term is defined in subdivision (e) of Section 2034 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.
(3) “Drug” has the same meaning as that term is defined in Section 11014 of the Health and Safety Code.
(4) “Indirect supervision” has the same meaning as that term is defined in subdivision (f) of Section 2034 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations.
(e) This section shall become inoperative on the later of January 1, 2015, or the date Section 4836.2 becomes operative, and, as of January 1 next following that date, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before that date, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative is repealed.