Bill Text: FL S0520 | 2018 | Regular Session | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Optometry
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-03-02 - Laid on Table, refer to HB 7059 [S0520 Detail]
Download: Florida-2018-S0520-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Optometry
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-03-02 - Laid on Table, refer to HB 7059 [S0520 Detail]
Download: Florida-2018-S0520-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2018 SB 520 By Senator Latvala 16-00380A-18 2018520__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to optometrists; amending s. 463.006, 3 F.S.; revising the requirements that applicants must 4 meet in order to qualify to take optometric licensure 5 and certification examinations; clarifying 6 interpretation of the authority of the Board of 7 Optometry to offer a practical examination in addition 8 to a written examination; specifying that applicants 9 must graduate from an accredited school or college of 10 optometry in order to obtain a license and practice as 11 optometrists; providing an effective date. 12 13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14 15 Section 1. Section 463.006, Florida Statutes, is amended to 16 read: 17 463.006 Licensure and certification by examination.— 18 (1) Any person desiring to be a licensed practitioner 19 pursuant to this chapter mustshallapply to the department to 20 take the licensure and certification examinations. The 21 department shall examine each applicant who the board determines 22 has: 23 (a) Completed the application forms as required by the 24 board, remitted an application fee for certification not to 25 exceed $250, remitted an examination fee for certification not 26 to exceed $250, and remitted an examination fee for licensure 27 not to exceed $325, all as set by the board. 28 (b) Submitted proof satisfactory to the department that she 29 or he: 30 1. Is at least 18 years of age. 31 2. Has graduated from an accredited school or college of 32 optometry approved by rule of the board, or is attending such a 33 school or college and expects to graduate within 24 months 34 following the date of application. 35 3. Is of good moral character. 36 4. Has successfully completed at least 110 hours of 37 transcript-quality coursework and clinical training in general 38 and ocular pharmacology as determined by the board, at an 39 institution that: 40 a. Has facilities for both didactic and clinical 41 instructions in pharmacology; and 42 b. Is accredited by a regional or professional accrediting 43 organization that is recognized and approved by the Commission 44 on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation or the United 45 States Department of Education. 46 5. Has completed at least 1 year of supervised experience 47 in differential diagnosis of eye disease or disorders as part of 48 the optometric training or in a clinical setting as part of the 49 optometric experience. 50 (2) The examination shall consist of the appropriate 51 subjects and include, includingapplicable state laws and rules 52 and general and ocular pharmacology with emphasis on the use and 53 side effects of ocular pharmaceutical agents. The board may by 54 rule substitute a national examination as part or all of the 55 examination and, notwithstanding any provision of chapter 456 to 56 the contrary, may by rule offer a practical examination in 57 addition to athewritten examination. 58 (3) Each applicant who successfully passes the examination 59 and otherwise meets the requirements of this chapter, provided 60 that such applicant has graduated from an accredited school or 61 college of optometry approved by rule of the board, is entitled 62 to be licensed as a practitioner and to be certified to 63 administer and prescribe ocular pharmaceutical agents in the 64 diagnosis and treatment of ocular conditions. 65 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.