Florida Senate - 2018                              CS for SB 520
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Health Policy; and Senators Young and
       Campbell
       
       
       
       
       588-01802-18                                           2018520c1
    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  department that he or she has met the requirements of subsection
   66  (1), who successfully passes the licensure examination within 3
   67  years before the date of application or after the submission of
   68  an 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 July 1, 2018.