S-3347.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6549

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington   57th Legislature        2002 Regular Session

By Senators Honeyford, Deccio and Hale

Read first time 01/21/2002.  Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.

Providing an exception to continuing competency requirements for optometrists.

    AN ACT Relating to continuing competency requirements for optometrists; and amending RCW 18.53.050.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 18.53.050 and 1996 c 191 s 29 are each amended to read as follows:

    Every licensed optometrist shall renew his or her license by complying with administrative procedures, administrative requirements, and fees determined according to RCW 43.70.250 and 43.70.280.  However, no licensed optometrist who is over age fifty-five and certified to use drugs for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes is required to meet continuing competency requirements if he or she is either:  (1) A part-time or full-time employee of a nonprofit public or private corporation; or (2) an independent optometrist who contracts for his or her services with a state, county, regional, municipal, or federal organization providing publicly subsidized eye care.

                            --- END ---