Florida Senate - 2018 CS for CS for SB 520
By the Committees on Rules; and Health Policy; and Senators
Young and Campbell
595-03959-18 2018520c2
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to optometry; amending s. 463.006,
3 F.S.; requiring an applicant for licensure as an
4 optometrist to submit proof to the Department of
5 Health that she or he meets certain requirements;
6 removing a requirement that the department examine an
7 applicant who meets specified requirements for
8 licensure and certification; requiring the Board of
9 Optometry to approve a licensure examination that
10 meets certain requirements; clarifying that the board
11 may offer a practical examination in addition to a
12 written examination under certain circumstances;
13 providing that an applicant must pass the licensure
14 examination within a specified timeframe as a
15 condition of licensure as an optometrist and
16 certification to administer and prescribe ocular
17 pharmaceutical agents; amending s. 463.0057, F.S.;
18 conforming a cross-reference; providing an effective
19 date.
20
21 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
22
23 Section 1. Section 463.006, Florida Statutes, is amended to
24 read:
25 463.006 Licensure and certification by examination.—
26 (1) Any person desiring to be a licensed practitioner
27 pursuant to this chapter must shall apply to the department and
28 must submit proof to take the licensure and certification
29 examinations. the department that she or he shall examine each
30 applicant who the board determines has:
31 (a) Has completed the application forms as required by the
32 board, remitted an application fee for certification not to
33 exceed $250, remitted an examination fee for certification not
34 to exceed $250, and remitted an examination fee for licensure
35 not to exceed $325, all as set by the board.
36 (b) Submitted proof satisfactory to the department that she
37 or he:
38 1. Is at least 18 years of age.
39 (c)2. Has graduated from an accredited school or college of
40 optometry approved by rule of the board.
41 (d)3. Is of good moral character.
42 (e)4. Has successfully completed at least 110 hours of
43 transcript-quality coursework and clinical training in general
44 and ocular pharmacology as determined by the board, at an
45 institution that:
46 1.a. Has facilities for both didactic and clinical
47 instructions in pharmacology; and
48 2.b. Is accredited by a regional or professional
49 accrediting organization that is recognized and approved by the
50 Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation or the
51 United States Department of Education.
52 (f)5. Has completed at least 1 year of supervised
53 experience in differential diagnosis of eye disease or disorders
54 as part of the optometric training or in a clinical setting as
55 part of the optometric experience.
56 (2) The board shall approve a licensure examination
57 consisting shall consist of the appropriate subjects and,
58 including applicable state laws and rules and general and ocular
59 pharmacology with emphasis on the use and side effects of ocular
60 pharmaceutical agents. The board may by rule substitute a
61 national examination as part or all of the examination and,
62 notwithstanding chapter 456, may by rule offer a practical
63 examination in addition to a the written examination.
64 (3) Each applicant who submits proof satisfactory to the
65 board that he or she has met the requirements of subsection (1),
66 who successfully passes the licensure examination within 3 years
67 before the date of application or after the submission of an
68 application, and who otherwise meets the requirements of this
69 chapter is entitled to be licensed as a practitioner and to be
70 certified to administer and prescribe ocular pharmaceutical
71 agents in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular conditions.
72 Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 463.0057, Florida
73 Statutes, is amended to read:
74 463.0057 Optometric faculty certificate.—
75 (3) The holder of a faculty certificate may engage in the
76 practice of optometry as permitted by this section but may not
77 administer or prescribe topical ocular pharmaceutical agents
78 unless the certificateholder has satisfied the requirements of
79 s. 463.006(1)(e) and (f) s. 463.006(1)(b)4. and 5. If a
80 certificateholder wishes to administer or prescribe oral ocular
81 pharmaceutical agents, the certificateholder must also satisfy
82 the requirements of s. 463.0055(1)(b).
83 Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.