PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 246-824-075 Continuing education requirements for dispensing opticians.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 18.34.120.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The Opticians Association of Washington submitted a petition to the department requesting WAC 246-824-075 be amended to add the Joint Commission of Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology and the Council on Optometric Practitioner Education to the list of organization[s] presumed to qualify as providers of continuing education courses. Adding these organizations to the current list would eliminate having to approve individual courses offered by these providers. The request does not intend to change the existing hourly requirements.
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 attending rule-making workshops and providing comments on proposed language which will be sent to interested persons through Listserv and by regular mail. Request to join the Listserv or send written comments to Judy Haenke, P.O. Box 47870, Olympia, WA 98504-7870, (360) 236-4947, or e-mail to judy.haenke@doh.wa.gov.
January 14, 2008
Mary C. Selecky
Secretary