2023 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 210
BY SENATOR BOUDREAUX
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 37:1042(A), (B)(1), and (D)(1) and 1056(2), relative to the
3 practice of optometry; to provide for membership of the Louisiana State Board of
4 Optometry Examiners; to provide for continuing education; and to provide for
5 related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 37:1042(A), (B)(1), and (D)(1) and 1056(2) are hereby amended and
8 reenacted to read as follows:
9 §1042. Louisiana State Board of Optometry Examiners; appointment; terms of
10 members; protected action and communication
11 A. The Louisiana State Board of Optometry Examiners is created within the
12 Louisiana Department of Health and is subject to the provisions of R.S. 36:803. The
13 board shall consist of five six members who are actively licensed optometrists in
14 good standing with the board and who have practiced optometry in this state for
15 seven years and one consumer member who shall be a representative of minority
16 consumers.
17 B.(1)(a) One licensed optometrist member of the board shall be a
18 minority appointee selected from the state at large and appointed by the
19 governor. Any person interested in serving in this position may apply directly
20 to the office of the governor.
21 (b) One licensed optometrist member of the board shall be appointed by the
22 governor from each of the five board districts in accordance with this Subsection.
23 The governor shall ensure that his appointments demonstrate race, gender, ethnic,
24 and geographical diversity.
25 * * *
26 D.(1) Each appointment by the governor shall be subject to Senate
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1 confirmation. The term of each member shall be five years, except that no person
2 shall be appointed to serve more than three full terms on the board, whether the
3 service is consecutive or not. A vacancy occurring during the term of a an
4 optometrist member shall be filled for the unexpired term by an optometrist
5 possessing the qualifications for board membership, nominated and appointed in
6 accordance with Subsection B of this Section. A vacancy in the consumer position
7 shall be filled with another consumer.
8 * * *
9 §1056. Annual renewal of license to practice
10 All licensed optometrists shall annually:
11 * * *
12 (2)(a) Accompany Except as provided in Subparagraph (b) of this
13 Paragraph, accompany the payment of the annual renewal fee with evidence
14 satisfactory to the board of attendance and completion of twelve hours of continuing
15 education pertaining to subjects required for licensing as set forth in R.S. 37:1051
16 or subjects pertaining to current visual and healthcare practices as are applicable to
17 the practice of optometry.
18 (b) If the licensee is authorized to diagnose and treat pathology and to
19 use and prescribe therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, accompany the payment
20 of the annual renewal fee with evidence satisfactory to the board of attendance
21 and completion of sixteen hours of continuing education.
22 (c) Half of the required hours of continuing education shall pertain to
23 ocular and systemic pharmacology and current diagnosis and treatment of
24 ocular disease and shall be obtained through an in-person classroom setting.
25 (d) No licensee shall obtain more than six hours from online education
26 sources.
27 (e) The continuing education required by this Paragraph shall be
28 obtained, whether in-person or online, through any continuing education
29 program that is one of the following:
30 (i) Offered by a nationally recognized optometric association.
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1 (ii) Offered by a state affiliate of a nationally recognized optometric
2 association or a regional council composed of state affiliates of a nationally
3 recognized optometric association.
4 (iii) Offered by a school or college of optometry accredited by the
5 American Optometric Association Accreditation Council on Optometric
6 Education.
7 (iv) Accredited by a nationally recognized organization.
8 (f) All licensed optometrists who have attained the age of sixty years as of
9 March 1, 1969, shall be exempt from this continuing education requirement.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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words in boldface type and underscored are additions.