REPRESENTATIVES Wolpert, Fessler, Carano, McGregor, Perry, Husted, Calvert, Setzer, Flowers, J. Stewart, Seitz, D. Evans, Webster, Miller, Williams, Reidelbach, Ujvagi, Latta, Grendell

To amend section 4725.18 of the Revised Code to

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permit the State Board of Optometry to license

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optometrists licensed by another state or a

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Canadian province regardless of whether the other

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state or province similarly licenses holders of

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Ohio licenses.

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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That section 4725.18 of the Revised Code be	7
amended to read as follows:	8

Sec. 4725.18.  (A) The state board of optometry may issue a	9
certificate of licensure and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents	10
certificate by endorsement to an individual licensed as an	11
optometrist by another state or a Canadian province if the board	12
determines that the other state or province has standards for the	13
practice of optometry that are at least as stringent as the	14
standards established under sections 4725.01 to 4725.34 of the	15
Revised Code and the other state similarly grants licenses to	16
practice optometry to individuals who hold certificates of	17
licensure issued by the boardindividual meets the conditions	18
specified in division (B) of this section. The certificates may be	19
issued only by an affirmative vote of a majority of the board's	20
members.	21

(B) To receiveAn individual seeking a certificate of	22
licensure and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents certificate under	23
pursuant to this section shall submit an application to the board.	24
To receive the certificates, an applicant must meet all of the	25
following conditions:	26

(1) Hold a license to practice optometry from the other state	27
that isMeet the same qualifications that an individual must meet	28
under divisions (B)(1) to (4) of section 4725.12 of the Revised	29
Code to receive a certificate of licensure and therapeutic	30
pharmaceutical agents certificate under that section;	31

(2) Be licensed to practice optometry by a state or province	32
that requires passage of a written, entry-level examination at the	33
time of initial licensure;	34

(3) Be licensed in good standing by the optometry licensing	35
agency of the other state or province, evidenced by submission of	36
a letter from the licensing agency of the other state or province	37
attesting to the applicant's good standing;	38

(2)(4) Provide the board with certified reports from the	39
optometry licensing agencies of all states and provinces in which	40
the applicant is licensed or has been licensed to practice	41
optometry describing all past and pending actions taken by those	42
agencies with respect to the applicant's authority to practice	43
optometry in those jurisdictions, including such actions as	44
investigations, entering into consent agreements, suspensions,	45
revocations, and refusals to issue or renew a license;	46

(5) Have been actively engaged in the practice of optometry,	47
including the use of therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, for at	48
least three years immediately preceding making application under	49
this section;	50

(3)(6) Pay the nonrefundable application fees established	51
under section 4725.34 of the Revised Code for a certificate of	52
licensure and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents certificate;	53

(4)(7) Submit all transcripts, reports, or other information	54
the board requires;	55

(5)(8) Participate in a two-hour instruction session provided	56
by the board on the optometry statutes and rules of this state or	57
pass an Ohio optometry jurisprudence test administered by the	58
board;	59

(9) Pass all or part of the licensing examination accepted by	60
the board under section 4725.11 of the Revised Code, if the board	61
determines that testing is necessary to determine whether the	62
applicant's qualifications are sufficient for issuance of a	63
certificate of licensure and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents	64
certificate under this section.	65

(C) If the applicant meets the conditions specified in	66
division (B) of this section and the board has not;	67

(10) Not have been previously denied issuance of a license to	68
the applicant,certificate by the board may, by an affirmative	69
vote of a majority of its members, issue to the applicant a	70
certificate of licensure and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents	71
certificate.	72

Section 2. That existing section 4725.18 of the Revised Code	73
is hereby repealed.	74