Assembly BillChaptered/SignedBusiness and Professions
AB 2010: Veterinary medicine: veterinary surgery premises: spay and neuter services.
What AB 2010 does, verified September 20, 2026
This bill aims to amend the California Veterinary Medicine Practice Act. The California Veterinary Medical Board licenses and regulates veterinary medicine practice in the state. The bill specifically targets high-quality, high-volume spay or neuter services performed in registered veterinary premises. These services are exempt from certain standards, including the requirement for equipment for viewing radiographs. This exemption is intended to support the provision of low-cost or free spay and neuter services.
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Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 284, Statutes of 2026. (2026-09-18)Alert me
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| Sep. 18, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 284, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 18, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Aug. 28, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m. |
| Aug. 24, 2026 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 6407.). |
| Aug. 20, 2026 | In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. |
Latest bill textEnrolled version, August 26, 2026 · 424 words
| Enrolled August 26, 2026 |
| Passed IN Senate August 20, 2026 |
| Passed IN Assembly August 24, 2026 |
| Amended IN Senate August 05, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly April 22, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly March 19, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2010
| Introduced by Assembly Member Soria (Coauthor: Senator Wiener) |
February 17, 2026 |
An act to amend Section 4854 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2010, Soria. Veterinary medicine: veterinary surgery premises: spay and neuter services.
Existing law, the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, establishes the California Veterinary Medical Board to license and regulate the practice of veterinary medicine. The act requires all premises where veterinary medicine, veterinary dentistry, or veterinary surgery is being practiced to be kept clean and sanitary at all times and conform to minimum standards established by the board.
This bill would specify that high-volume spay or neuter services, as defined, shall not be required to be performed in a separate surgical room. The bill would make related findings and declarations.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this act to expand access to high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter services in accordance with the prevailing standard of care for these services.(b) It is further the intent of the Legislature that high-volume spay or neuter services, as defined, are not required to be performed in a separate surgery room, and that any related surgery room requirements shall not apply to high-volume spay or neuter services.
(c) Nothing in this act is intended to exempt high-volume spay or neuter services from any other requirement applicable to the practice of veterinary medicine, nor exempt traditional non-high-volume spay or neuter services from any existing requirements.
SEC. 2.
Section 4854 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:4854.
(a) All premises where veterinary medicine, veterinary dentistry, or veterinary surgery is being practiced, and all instruments, apparatus and apparel used in connection with those practices, shall be kept clean and sanitary at all times, and shall conform to those minimum standards established by the board.(b) Notwithstanding any other law, high-volume spay or neuter services shall not be required to be performed in a separate surgical room.
(c) For purposes of this section, “high-volume spay or neuter services” means the aseptic surgical sterilization by a veterinarian of 20 or more dogs, cats, or rabbits, or any combination thereof, within 12 consecutive hours.
Text of AB 2010 as enrolled, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions