Florida Senate - 2018                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 520
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì510350hÎ510350                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  12/05/2017           .                                
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       The Committee on Health Policy (Latvala) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Section 463.006, Florida Statutes, is amended to
    6  read:
    7         463.006 Licensure and certification by examination.—
    8         (1) Any person desiring to be a licensed practitioner
    9  pursuant to this chapter must shall apply to the department and
   10  must submit proof to take the licensure and certification
   11  examinations. the department that she or he shall examine each
   12  applicant who the board determines has:
   13         (a) Has completed the application forms as required by the
   14  board, remitted an application fee for certification not to
   15  exceed $250, remitted an examination fee for certification not
   16  to exceed $250, and remitted an examination fee for licensure
   17  not to exceed $325, all as set by the board.
   18         (b) Submitted proof satisfactory to the department that she
   19  or he:
   20         1. Is at least 18 years of age.
   21         (c)2. Has graduated from an accredited school or college of
   22  optometry approved by rule of the board.
   23         (d)3. Is of good moral character.
   24         (e)4. Has successfully completed at least 110 hours of
   25  transcript-quality coursework and clinical training in general
   26  and ocular pharmacology as determined by the board, at an
   27  institution that:
   28         1.a. Has facilities for both didactic and clinical
   29  instructions in pharmacology; and
   30         2.b. Is accredited by a regional or professional
   31  accrediting organization that is recognized and approved by the
   32  Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation or the
   33  United States Department of Education.
   34         (f)5. Has completed at least 1 year of supervised
   35  experience in differential diagnosis of eye disease or disorders
   36  as part of the optometric training or in a clinical setting as
   37  part of the optometric experience.
   38         (2) The board shall approve a licensure examination
   39  consisting shall consist of the appropriate subjects and,
   40  including applicable state laws and rules and general and ocular
   41  pharmacology with emphasis on the use and side effects of ocular
   42  pharmaceutical agents. The board may by rule substitute a
   43  national examination as part or all of the examination and,
   44  notwithstanding chapter 456, may by rule offer a practical
   45  examination in addition to a the written examination.
   46         (3) Each applicant who submits proof satisfactory to the
   47  department that he or she has met the requirements of subsection
   48  (1), who successfully passes the licensure examination within 3
   49  years before the date of application or after the submission of
   50  an application, and who otherwise meets the requirements of this
   51  chapter is entitled to be licensed as a practitioner and to be
   52  certified to administer and prescribe ocular pharmaceutical
   53  agents in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular conditions.
   54         Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 463.0057, Florida
   55  Statutes, is amended to read:
   56         463.0057 Optometric faculty certificate.—
   57         (3) The holder of a faculty certificate may engage in the
   58  practice of optometry as permitted by this section but may not
   59  administer or prescribe topical ocular pharmaceutical agents
   60  unless the certificateholder has satisfied the requirements of
   61  s. 463.006(1)(e) and (f) s. 463.006(1)(b)4. and 5. If a
   62  certificateholder wishes to administer or prescribe oral ocular
   63  pharmaceutical agents, the certificateholder must also satisfy
   64  the requirements of s. 463.0055(1)(b).
   65         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.
   66  
   67  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   68  And the title is amended as follows:
   69         Delete everything before the enacting clause
   70  and insert:
   71                        A bill to be entitled                      
   72         An act relating to optometry; amending s. 463.006,
   73         F.S.; requiring an applicant for licensure as an
   74         optometrist to submit proof to the Department of
   75         Health that she or he meets certain requirements;
   76         removing a requirement that the department examine an
   77         applicant who meets specified requirements for
   78         licensure and certification; requiring the Board of
   79         Optometry to approve a licensure examination that
   80         meets certain requirements; clarifying that the board
   81         may offer a practical examination in addition to a
   82         written examination under certain circumstances;
   83         providing that an applicant must pass the licensure
   84         examination within a specified timeframe as a
   85         condition of licensure as an optometrist and
   86         certification to administer and prescribe ocular
   87         pharmaceutical agents; amending s. 463.0057, F.S.;
   88         conforming a cross-reference; providing an effective
   89         date.