Dangerous precedent in California?

Proposed legislation in California would make it a crime for anyone other than licensed veterinary technicians and veterinarians to provide services such as pet massage or water therapy. Here's the link:  CA Assembly Bill 1980. The purpose of the bill appears to be to protect consumers and their pets from fraudulent therapists but it's badly worded.

Scroll down to section 3 and see this: "(3) Existing law prohibits the practice of veterinary medicine


without a license and specifies that a person practices veterinary

medicine when he or she, among other things, represents himself or

herself as engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine or

administers a treatment of whatever nature for the cure or relief of

a bodily injury or disease of an animal.

This bill would provide that a person also practices veterinary

medicine when he or she performs physical rehabilitation or

musculoskeletal manipulation upon an animal, unless otherwise

authorized by regulation of the board." (But there doesn't appear to be a provision to cover the "otherwise.")

When we consult someone regarding the health of our animals, we want to be sure that person is well educated and trained; but this bill seems to make a narrow interpretation of what constitutes proper training. It would also raise the price of services if a person trained to offer T-touch also has to complete the two-year course to become a licensed veterinary technician. Do you really need the massage therapist to be able to draw blood and give shots? Would you even want her to? Is the bill meant to protect consumers or to raise money for the state with the purchase of licenses?

CA residents might want to contact their legislators about this.