TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING

BOARD OF OPTOMETRY

Agency Decision

Title of Regulation: 18VAC105-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Optometry.

Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Name of Petitioner: Jena Jung, O.D.

Nature of Petitioner's Request: To amend regulations to allow a practitioner to request inactive licensure. The petitioner would also like for the board to reactivate an inactive license for military persons or spouses at no additional cost.

Agency Decision: Request granted.

Statement of Reason for Decision: The board discussed the request to amend regulations in order to institute an inactive license and decided to begin the process of amending its regulations. Other boards at the Department of Health Professions allow practitioners to put their licenses in an inactive status at half the cost of an active license. The inactive license may then be reactivated by payment of the difference between the inactive and active license and evidence of continued competency. The board did not agree to waive the reactivation fee for military personnel or their spouses, as that is not the policy for any other board.

Agency Contact: Leslie L. Knachel, Executive Director, Board of Optometry, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233, telephone (804) 367-4508, or email leslie.knachel@dhp.virginia.gov

VA.R. Doc. No. R18-13; Filed March 6, 2018, 11:15 a.m.

Agency Decision

Title of Regulation: 18VAC105-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Optometry.

Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Name of Petitioner: Janet Swartz, National Glaucoma Society.

Nature of Petitioner's Request: To amend 18VAC105-20-70 to add the National Glaucoma Society to the list of approved providers of continuing education or to include a new category for nonprofit optometric organizations.

Agency Decision: Request denied.

Statement of Reason for Decision: The board decided to take no action on the petition for rulemaking at this time. In reviewing the information and the current provisions in 18VAC105-20-70 of its regulations, board members determined that an overall review of continuing education providers was warranted before there were any additions to or subtractions from the list. In the meantime, if courses offered by the National Glaucoma Society are approved by one of the entities currently on the list of approval bodies, those courses would be accepted for continuing education in Virginia.

Agency Contact: Leslie L. Knachel, Executive Director, Board of Optometry, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233, telephone (804) 367-4508, or email leslie.knachel@dhp.virginia.gov.

VA.R. Doc. No. R18-09; Filed March 6, 2018, 11:17 a.m.