(a) The board shall establish an advisory committee to assist, advise, and make recommendations for the implementation of rules and regulations necessary to ensure proper administration and enforcement of this chapter and to assist the board in its examination, licensure, and registration programs. The committee shall serve only in an advisory capacity to the board and the objectives, duties, and actions of the committee shall not be a substitute for or conflict with any of the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the board. The committee shall be known as the Veterinary Medicine Multidisciplinary Advisory Committee. The multidisciplinary committee shall consist of nine members. The following members of the multidisciplinary committee shall be appointed by the board from lists of nominees solicited by the board: four licensed veterinarians, two registered veterinary technicians, and one public member. The committee shall also include one veterinarian member of the board, to be appointed by the board president, and the registered veterinary technician member of the board. Members of the multidisciplinary committee shall represent a sufficient cross section of the interests in veterinary medicine in order to address the issues before it, as determined by the board, including veterinarians, registered veterinary technicians, and members of the public.

(b) Multidisciplinary committee members appointed by the board shall serve for a term of three years and appointments shall be staggered accordingly. A member may be reappointed, but no person shall serve as a member of the committee for more than two consecutive terms. Vacancies occurring shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired term, within 90 days after they occur. Board members of the multidisciplinary committee shall serve concurrently with their terms of office on the board.

(c) The multidisciplinary committee shall be subject to the requirements of Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(d) Multidisciplinary committee members shall receive a per diem as provided in Section 103 and shall be compensated for their actual travel expenses in accordance with the rules and regulations adopted by the Department of Human Resources.

(e) The board may remove a member of the multidisciplinary committee appointed by the board for continued neglect of a duty required by this chapter, for incompetency, or for unprofessional conduct.

(f) It is the intent of the Legislature that the multidisciplinary committee, in implementing this section, give appropriate consideration to issues pertaining to the practice of registered veterinarian technicians.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 515, Sec. 23. (SB 304) Effective January 1, 2014.)