Bill Text: IL HB4929 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Amends the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987. Provides that a licensed optometrist may independently administer the influenza vaccine, the COVID-19 vaccine, or the shingles vaccine upon completion of the required training. Provides that vaccinations for influenza and COVID-19 shall be limited to patients 5 years of age and older. Provides that the shingles vaccine shall be administered to patients pursuant to guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Provides that vaccines must be administered by the optometrist and cannot be delegated to an assistant. Provides that vaccination shall be documented in the patient's record and shall include: the vaccine administered; the site of injection; the name, dose, manufacturer, lot number, and beyond-use date of the vaccine; the name and address of the patient's primary health care provider named by the patient; a notation that the patient was presented with the appropriate vaccine information statement prior to administration of each vaccine; and any adverse events that followed the vaccination. Requires that the optometrist must complete the necessary training and certification unless the optometrist has completed the training required under a proclamation issued by the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation on March 24, 2021. Provides that an optometrist administering immunizations may also initiate and administer epinephrine or diphenhydramine by injection or the treatment of a severe allergic reaction to an immunization. Provides that vaccines ordered and administered in accordance with the amendatory Act shall be covered and reimbursed at no less than the rate the vaccine is reimbursed when ordered and administered by a physician. Allows the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to adopt any rules necessary to implement the amendatory Act.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-1)

Status: (Passed) 2022-05-13 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 102-0788 [HB4929 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HB4929-Chaptered.html

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Public Act 102-0788
HB4929 Enrolled LRB102 25768 AMQ 35098 b
AN ACT concerning regulation.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 is
amended by adding Section 31 as follows:
(225 ILCS 80/31 new)
Sec. 31. Administration of vaccines.
(a) A licensed optometrist may independently administer
the COVID-19 vaccine upon the completion of appropriate
training, as described in subsection (c). Vaccinations for
COVID-19 shall be limited to patients 17 years of age and
older.
(b) The optometrist shall administer the COVID-19 vaccine
and must not delegate the administration to an assistant or
any other person. Vaccination of a patient by an optometrist
shall be documented in the patient's record and shall include:
(1) the vaccine administered;
(2) the site of injection of the vaccine;
(3) the name, dose, manufacturer, lot number, and
beyond-use date of the vaccine;
(4) the name and address of the patient's primary
health care provider named by the patient;
(5) a notation that the patient was presented with the

appropriate vaccine information statement (VIS) prior to
the administration of each vaccine; and
(6) any adverse events that followed the vaccination.
(c) In order to initiate and administer an immunization
described in subsection (b), an optometrist must:
(1) at a minimum, complete 4 hours of education in:
(i) an immunization training program endorsed by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; (ii) the
injections course approved by the National Board of
Examiners in Optometry; or (iii) a course approved by the
Department that provides equivalent training provided by
an approved Continuing Education Sponsor. The training
must include, at a minimum, hands-on injection technique,
proper vaccine storage, clinic evaluation of indications
and contraindications of vaccines, and the recognition and
treatment of emergency reactions to vaccines, and the
optometrist shall maintain that training;
(2) be certified in basic life support; and
(3) comply with all State and federal recordkeeping
and reporting requirements, including providing
documentation to the patient's primary care provider
within 30 days of administering the vaccine and entering
all patient level data on vaccines administered in the
immunization data registry (I-Care) maintained by the
Department of Public Health.
The Department, in its discretion, may exempt an

optometrist from the requirements of this subsection if the
optometrist has completed the training required under a
proclamation issued by the Secretary on March 24, 2021 to
authorize licensed optometrists to administer COVID-19
vaccines. An optometrist who is granted an exemption from the
Department is required to maintain the training required by
this subsection.
(d) An optometrist administering an immunization pursuant
to this Section may also initiate and administer epinephrine
or diphenhydramine by injection for the treatment of a severe
allergic reaction to an immunization.
(e) As applicable to the State Medicaid program and other
payers, a vaccine ordered and administered in accordance with
this Section shall be covered and reimbursed at no less than
the rate the vaccine is reimbursed when ordered and
administered by a physician.
(f) The Department may adopt any rules necessary to
implement this Section.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.