The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Brandi Cannon.
DIGEST
SB 210 Original 2023 Regular Session Boudreaux
Present law provides for the La. State Board of Optometry Examiners (board) to be comprised of five
actively licensed optometrists and one consumer member. Proposed law adds three additional
members: one licensed minority optometrist, a minority consumer, and a representative of the elderly
consumers of Louisiana.
Present law provides that one licensed optometrist member shall be appointed by the governor from
each of the five board districts. Further provides for the nomination and appointment process.
Proposed law retains present law and provides that the minority licensed optometrist member shall
be selected from the state at large and appointed by the governor. Further provides that any person
interested in serving in this position may apply directly to the office of the governor.
Present law provides that the consumer member shall be selected from the state at large and
appointed by the governor. Proposed law retains present law and provides that at least one of the
consumer members shall be a minority and one shall be a representative of the elderly consumers
of Louisiana.
Present law allows the board to waive the examination required for licensure if the applicant presents
a satisfactory certificate of registration from a board of optometry examiners of another state whose
licensure standards are equal to Louisiana law. Proposed law removes the requirement that the other
state board have similar standards for licensure.
Present law requires an applicant for renewal of a license to complete 12 hours of continuing
education pertaining to the subjects required for licensing or subjects pertaining to current visual and
healthcare practices applicable to the practice of optometry. Proposed law increases the continuing
education requirement to 16 hours if the licensee is authorized to diagnose and treat pathology and
to use and prescribe therapeutic pharmaceutical agents. Proposed law further provides that half of
the required hours of continuing education for all licensees shall pertain to ocular and systemic
pharmacology and current diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease.
Proposed law further requires the continuing education to be obtained through any continuing
education program that is accredited by a nationally recognized agency or organization or offered
by a school or college of optometry accredited by the American Optometric Association
Accreditation Council on Optometric Education.
Effective August 1, 2023.
(Amends R.S. 37:1042(A), (B)(1), 1042(C)(1)(intro para) and (C)(2), and (D)(1), 1054, and 1056(2))