PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
(Board of Optometry)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Rules being reviewed include WAC 246-851-160 Credit for reports and 246-851-170 Credit for preprogrammed educational materials. Continuing education rules relating to courses offered electronically and through correspondence courses.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 18.54.070(2).
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Current continuing education rules address approval of correspondence courses available through publications separately from courses offered electronically by an approved school. The maximum number of hours allowed in any two year reporting period is different in each category. Continuing education courses that were previously available only though correspondence courses in magazines are now also available electronically. As a result, existing rules need to be updated to clarify approval of rules available electronically and to review the number of hours available for credit.
A total of forty-five credits can be obtained through WAC 246-851-160 Credit for reports and 246-851-170 Credit for preprogrammed educational materials in a two year reporting period. The board will assess whether the number of credits allowed for these two categories should be reduced.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: Collaborative rule making.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Judy Haenke, Program Manager, P.O. Box 47870, Olympia, WA 98504-7870, (360) 236-4947, judy.haenke@doh.wa.gov; or at the Board of Optometry Meeting, on March 14, 2003, Holiday Inn, 17336 International Boulevard, Seattle, WA 98158.
Judy Haenke
Program Manager