Bill Text: NY A06810 | 2013-2014 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Requires optical stores which engage in the sale of prescription eye glasses or contact lenses to be registered with the education department; requires such stores to be under the direct supervision of a physician, ophthalmic dispenser or optometrist; directs department of education to promulgate rules and regulations necessary therefor; requires all optical stores to conspicuously display registration; makes related provisions.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-08 - referred to higher education [A06810 Detail]

Download: New_York-2013-A06810-Introduced.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         6810
                              2013-2014 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                    April 19, 2013
                                      ___________
       Introduced by M. of A. MORELLE, CLARK, CYMBROWITZ, HOOPER -- Multi-Spon-
         sored  by  -- M. of A.  MILLMAN, ORTIZ, PERRY, WEISENBERG -- read once
         and referred to the Committee on Higher Education
       AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to registering and  oper-
         ating optical stores
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new article  144-A
    2  to read as follows:
    3                                ARTICLE 144-A
    4                               OPTICAL STORES
    5  SECTION 7130. OPTICAL STORES.
    6    S 7130. OPTICAL STORES. 1. NO PERSON, FIRM, CORPORATION OR ASSOCIATION
    7  SHALL  ENGAGE IN THE SALE OF PRESCRIPTION EYE GLASSES OR CONTACT LENSES,
    8  UNLESS THE ESTABLISHMENT AT WHICH OR THROUGH WHICH SUCH SALE IS EXECUTED
    9  IS: A. REGISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT AS AN OPTICAL STORE, OR B. A PROFES-
   10  SIONAL SERVICE CORPORATION, A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, A  PROFESSIONAL
   11  SERVICE  LIMITED  LIABILITY  COMPANY,  OR A REGISTERED LIMITED LIABILITY
   12  PARTNERSHIP.
   13    2. A. OBTAINING A REGISTRATION. AN OPTICAL STORE SHALL  BE  REGISTERED
   14  AS FOLLOWS:
   15    (1)  THE APPLICATION SHALL BE MADE ON A FORM PRESCRIBED BY THE DEPART-
   16  MENT.
   17    (2) THE APPLICATION SHALL BE ACCOMPANIED  BY  A  FEE  OF  ONE  HUNDRED
   18  EIGHTY DOLLARS; PROVIDED HOWEVER THAT PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CORPORATIONS,
   19  LIMITED  LIABILITY  COMPANIES,  PROFESSIONAL  SERVICE  LIMITED LIABILITY
   20  COMPANIES AND REGISTERED LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIPS ARE NOT  SUBJECT
   21  TO SUCH FEE.
   22    (3)  A  SEPARATE  REGISTRATION  SHALL  BE  REQUIRED  FOR EACH SEPARATE
   23  LOCATION AT WHICH EYE GLASSES OR CONTACT LENSES ARE SOLD.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD05349-01-3
       A. 6810                             2
    1    B. RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION. ALL REGISTERED OPTICAL  STORE'S  REGISTRA-
    2  TIONS SHALL BE RENEWED TRIENNIALLY. THE REGISTRATION RENEWAL APPLICATION
    3  SHALL BE ACCOMPANIED BY A FEE OF ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS. SUCH RENEWAL SHALL
    4  INCLUDE  THE  SUBMISSION  OF  SUCH INFORMATION AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE
    5  DEPARTMENT,  PURSUANT  TO  REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER, ATTESTING TO
    6  THE ADEQUACY OF THE FACILITY AND SUCH OTHER STANDARDS DEEMED APPROPRIATE
    7  BY THE DEPARTMENT.
    8    C. DISPLAY OF REGISTRATION. THE REGISTRATION  SHALL  BE  CONSPICUOUSLY
    9  DISPLAYED  AT  ALL  TIMES  IN THE REGISTERED OPTICAL STORE. THE NAME AND
   10  ADDRESS OF THE OWNER OF A REGISTERED OPTICAL STORE SHALL BE CONSPICUOUS-
   11  LY DISPLAYED UPON THE  EXTERIOR  OF  SUCH  ESTABLISHMENT.  THE  NAME  SO
   12  DISPLAYED  SHALL BE PRESUMPTIVE EVIDENCE OF OWNERSHIP OF SUCH REGISTERED
   13  OPTICAL STORE BY SUCH PERSON. THE OPTICAL STORE REGISTRATION SHALL  ALSO
   14  BEAR  THE  NAME  OF  THE  LICENSED  OPHTHALMIC DISPENSER, OPTOMETRIST OR
   15  PHYSICIAN HAVING DIRECT SUPERVISION OF THE REGISTERED OPTICAL STORE.  IN
   16  THE EVENT THAT SUCH LICENSED OPHTHALMIC DISPENSER, OPTOMETRIST OR PHYSI-
   17  CIAN  SHALL  NO LONGER HAVE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF THE REGISTERED OPTICAL
   18  STORE, THE OWNER SHALL NOTIFY THE DEPARTMENT OF SUCH FACT AND  THE  NAME
   19  OF THE LICENSED OPHTHALMIC DISPENSER, OPTOMETRIST OR PHYSICIAN REPLACING
   20  THE  OPHTHALMIC DISPENSER, OPTOMETRIST OR PHYSICIAN NAMED ON THE LICENSE
   21  AND SHALL APPLY FOR AN AMENDED  REGISTRATION  SHOWING  THE  CHANGE.  THE
   22  AMENDED  REGISTRATION SHALL BE ATTACHED TO THE ORIGINAL REGISTRATION AND
   23  DISPLAYED IN THE SAME MANNER.
   24    D. CHANGE OF LOCATION. IN THE EVENT THAT THE LOCATION OF A  REGISTERED
   25  OPTICAL  STORE SHALL BE CHANGED, THE OWNER SHALL APPLY TO THE DEPARTMENT
   26  FOR ENDORSEMENT OF THE REGISTRATION FOR THE NEW LOCATION.  THE  FEE  FOR
   27  SUCH  ENDORSEMENT SHALL BE AS IS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT, UNLESS IT
   28  APPEARS TO THE  SATISFACTION  OF  THE  DEPARTMENT  THAT  THE  CHANGE  IN
   29  LOCATION IS OF A TEMPORARY NATURE DUE TO FIRE, FLOOD OR OTHER DISASTER.
   30    E.  CONDUCT OF A REGISTERED OPTICAL STORE. EVERY OWNER OF A REGISTERED
   31  OPTICAL STORE OR EVERY OPHTHALMIC DISPENSER, OPTOMETRIST OR PHYSICIAN IN
   32  CHARGE OF A REGISTERED OPTICAL STORE SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROPER
   33  CONDUCT OF THE REGISTERED OPTICAL STORE AND CARRYING OUT THE  PROVISIONS
   34  OF  THIS  ARTICLE.  EVERY  REGISTERED  OPTICAL  STORE SHALL BE UNDER THE
   35  DIRECT SUPERVISION OF A LICENSED OPHTHALMIC  DISPENSER,  OPTOMETRIST  OR
   36  PHYSICIAN  AT  ALL HOURS WHEN OPEN. NO OPHTHALMIC DISPENSER, OPTOMETRIST
   37  OR PHYSICIAN SHALL HAVE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF MORE THAN  ONE  REGISTERED
   38  OPTICAL STORE AT THE SAME TIME.
   39    3.  THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS  SECTION  SHALL  NOT APPLY TO FACILITIES
   40  DEFINED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE TWENTY-EIGHT OF THE PUBLIC  HEALTH  LAW  AND
   41  HEALTH  MAINTENANCE  ORGANIZATIONS  WHICH  OPERATE AN OPTICAL DISPENSING
   42  ESTABLISHMENT PROVIDED THE DISPENSING SERVICES OR PRODUCTS AT THE FACIL-
   43  ITIES ARE AVAILABLE ONLY TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN-PATIENTS  OR  OUT-PA-
   44  TIENTS  AT  SUCH  FACILITIES.  SUCH  FACILITIES  SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE
   45  PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION, IF THEY RENDER RETAIL OR WHOLESALE  DISPENS-
   46  ING SERVICES OR PRODUCTS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
   47    4.  INSPECTION.  THE  DEPARTMENT,  AND ITS EMPLOYEES DESIGNATED BY THE
   48  COMMISSIONER, SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO ENTER A REGISTERED  OPTICAL  STORE
   49  AND  INSPECT,  AT  REASONABLE  TIMES, SUCH ESTABLISHMENT AND ALL RECORDS
   50  REQUIRED BY THIS ARTICLE, PERTINENT EQUIPMENT, AND  RELATED  FACILITIES,
   51  MATERIALS, AND OTHER ITEMS RELEVANT TO THE OPERATION OF SUCH STORE.
   52    5.  REVOCATION  OR  SUSPENSION.  AN  OPTICAL STORE REGISTRATION MAY BE
   53  REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR SUBJECT TO SUCH OTHER  DISCIPLINARY  SANCTIONS  IN
   54  ACCORDANCE  WITH  THE  PROVISIONS  OF ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED THIRTY OF THIS
   55  TITLE. THE OWNER OF SUCH OPTICAL STORE SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY FINES  OR
   56  FINANCIAL   PENALTIES   LEVIED   AS  THE  RESULT  OF  SUCH  DISCIPLINARY
       A. 6810                             3
    1  PROCEEDINGS. A SUPERVISING PROFESSIONAL SHALL ALSO BE SUBJECT TO  DISCI-
    2  PLINARY  PROCEEDINGS FOR FAILURE TO EXERCISE THE SUPERVISION REQUIRED BY
    3  THIS SECTION.  SUCH  DISCIPLINARY  PROCEEDINGS  SHALL  BE  CONDUCTED  BY
    4  OFFICES  OF  PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINE OR PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL CONDUCT, AS
    5  APPROPRIATE.
    6    S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    7  it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, any rules  and  regu-
    8  lations  necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effec-
    9  tive date are authorized to be made on or before such date.
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