AB 1733 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

License and registration renewal: continuing education.

Summary

Existing law, the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, establishes the California Veterinary Medical Board, until January 1, 2030, within the Department of Consumer Affairs and sets forth its powers and duties relating to the licensure of veterinarians, the registration of veterinarian technicians, and the general regulation of the practice of veterinary medicine. Existing law requires the board to issue a renewed veterinarian license or renewed veterinary technician registration to an applicant who completes a minimum number of hours of continuing education. Existing law permits a portion of this continuing education to be completed either as self study or by providing pro bono spay or neuter services for specified agencies. This bill would recast those provisions to, instead, specify that both the self study and the pro bono spay or neuter services may be used to satisfy those requirements.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Jun 2026

Assembly Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

Jun 2026

Signed into Law

Jun 2026

Introduced Feb 5, 2026 Signed Jun 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

02/05/26 - Introduced → 06/22/26 - Enrolled · 3 edits · Jun 22, 2026

MINOR

AB 1733 was amended between introduction and enrollment to restructure how veterinarians and veterinary technicians can earn continuing education credit through self-study and spay/neuter volunteer services. The two methods were previously combined under a single cap (6 hours for vets, 4 hours for technicians), but are now independent provisions with separate caps, allowing up to 10 total hours for vets and 6 for technicians from these non-traditional methods. The word 'pro bono' was also removed from the statutory text, though the 'at no cost' requirement remains.

ELIGIBILITY

For veterinarians, self-study (up to 6 hours) and spay/neuter volunteer services (up to 4 hours) are now separate, independent provisions rather than being combined under a single 6-hour cap. This allows a veterinarian to earn up to 10 total hours from these two methods instead of being limited to 6.

For veterinary technicians, self-study (up to 4 hours) and spay/neuter-related animal health care tasks (up to 2 hours) are now separate, independent provisions rather than being combined under a single 4-hour cap. This allows a technician to earn up to 6 total hours from these two methods instead of being limited to 4.

DEFINITION

The term 'pro bono' was removed from both the veterinarian and veterinary technician spay/neuter service provisions. The requirement that services be provided 'at no cost' to the shelter or agency remains, so the practical obligation is largely unchanged but the legal framing shifted away from the pro bono label.

Floor votes · Senate Jun 18, 2026 · Assembly May 7, 2026

How they voted

37–0

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 40

Jun 18, 2026

D Democratic30

29 Yea 1

96% Yea

R Republican10

8 Yea 2

80% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 30, 2026

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor.

legislature

Jun 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.

lower

Jun 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 4860.).

upper

Jun 15, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.

upper

Jun 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

May 20, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.

upper

May 7, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 66. Noes 0. Page 4967.)

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 29).

lower

Apr 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 19. Noes 0.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Feb 23, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on B. & P.

lower

Feb 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 8.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors