HB 340: "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of Examiners in Optometry; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 340 01 "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of Examiners in Optometry; and 02 providing for an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 08.03.010(c)(14) is amended to read: 05 (14) Board of Examiners in Optometry (AS 08.72.010) -- June 30, 06 2006 [2002]; 07 * Sec. 2. AS 08.72.150 is amended to read: 08 Sec. 08.72.150. Application for examination and issuance of license. An 09 applicant shall apply for the examination by filing an application with the department 10 together with the examination fee by the deadline established by the department in 11 regulations. The department may not require the applicant to submit a 12 photograph of the applicant. Upon successful completion of the examination by the 13 applicant and payment of the license fee, the board shall issue a license to the 14 successful applicant. The applicant may practice optometry in the state upon receipt
01 of the license. 02 * Sec. 3. AS 08.72.160(a) is amended to read: 03 (a) The examination must [SHALL] be written [, PRACTICAL,] and oral in 04 nature. The written portion of the Alaska examination must [SHALL] consist of two 05 sections: (1) all or part of a national or international examination designated by 06 regulation by the board; and (2) an examination approved by the board that is 07 designed to test the applicant's knowledge of the laws of Alaska governing the 08 practice of optometry and the regulations adopted under those laws. The oral 09 portion of the examination shall be recorded and retained for two years. 10 * Sec. 4. AS 08.72.160(c) is amended to read: 11 (c) An applicant who fails a portion of the written examination may take a 12 reexamination in the portion failed upon payment of a reexamination fee established 13 under AS 08.01.065. 14 * Sec. 5. AS 08.72.160(d) is amended to read: 15 (d) An applicant who fails more than one portion of the written examination 16 shall retake the entire examination and pay the examination fee. 17 * Sec. 6. AS 08.72.170 is amended to read: 18 Sec. 08.72.170. Licensure by credentials [WAIVER OF WRITTEN 19 EXAMINATION]. (a) The board shall issue a license by credentials to [MAY 20 WAIVE THE WRITTEN PORTION OF THE EXAMINATION REQUIREMENT 21 FOR] an applicant who 22 (1) meets the qualifications of AS 08.72.140; 23 (2) passes a written examination approved by the board that is 24 designed to test the applicant's knowledge of the laws of Alaska governing the 25 practice of optometry and the regulations adopted under those laws; 26 (3) passes an oral examination by the board; 27 (4) either 28 (A) holds a current license by examination in another 29 jurisdiction [STATE OR A PROVINCE OF CANADA] and has been 30 established in ethical optometric practice for at least three years before the 31 application; [,] or
01 (B) shows satisfactory evidence of having passed all of the 02 portions [WRITTEN PORTION] of the examination given by the National 03 Board of Examiners in Optometry that are required by the board; and 04 (5) [(3)] has not had an optometry [A] certificate or license revoked 05 for cause in any jurisdiction [STATE, TERRITORY, OR FOREIGN COUNTRY]. 06 (b) A waiver of the Alaska jurisprudence [PRACTICAL] or oral portions of 07 the examinations may not be given. 08 * Sec. 7. AS 08.72.181(d) is amended to read: 09 (d) Before a license may be renewed, the licensee shall submit to the board 10 evidence of 24 [48] hours of postgraduate continuing education instruction as 11 prescribed by regulations of the board. The board may specify by regulation those 12 circumstances under which the requirements of this subsection may be waived. 13 * Sec. 8. AS 08.72.191 is amended to read: 14 Sec. 08.72.191. Fees. The department shall set fees under AS 08.01.065 for 15 the following: 16 (1) examination; 17 (2) reexamination for the written portion; 18 (3) licensure by credentials [WAIVER OF EXAMINATION]; 19 (4) license; 20 (5) renewal; 21 (6) branch office license and renewal.