Each person, before beginning the practice of optometry in this state, except as hereinafter provided, shall present to the Department of Public Health satisfactory evidence that such person has been graduated from a school of optometry approved by the board of examiners with the consent of the Commissioner of Public Health. The board shall consult, where possible, with nationally recognized accrediting agencies when approving schools of optometry. All applicants shall be required to successfully complete an examination prescribed by the Department of Public Health with the consent of the board of examiners, in theoretic, practical and physiological optics, theoretic and practical optometry, ocular pharmacology, treatment and management of ocular disease, and the anatomy and physiology of the eye; and said department shall determine the qualifications of the applicant and, if they are found satisfactory, shall give a license to that effect. Passing scores shall be established by the department with the consent of the board. The department may, upon receipt of five hundred sixty-five dollars, issue a license to any person who is a currently practicing competent practitioner who holds (1) a license issued to such person after examination by a board of registration in optometry in any other state or territory of the United States in which the requirements for registration are deemed by the department to be equivalent to, or higher than, those prescribed in this chapter, or (2) a Council on Endorsed Licensure Mobility for Optometrists certificate issued by the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry, or its successor organization. No license shall be issued under this section to any applicant against whom professional disciplinary action is pending or who is the subject of an unresolved complaint.

(1949 Rev., S. 4491; 1959, P.A. 616, S. 46; June, 1971, P.A. 8, S. 57; 1972, P.A. 127, S. 39; P.A. 73-147; P.A. 74-59; P.A. 77-614, S. 302, 410, 610; P.A. 80-484, S. 47, 176; P.A. 86-13, S. 3, 4; P.A. 89-251, S. 90, 203; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 07-252, S. 30; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3, S. 205.)

History: 1959 act increased fee for preliminary examination from $5 to $25, substituted license for certificate, doubled fee for same, increased examination fee from $35 to $50, making whole amount payable before examination, and deleted provision for reexamination; 1971 act raised fee for licenses without examination from $100 to $150; 1972 act reduced minimum age from 21 to 18 reflecting changed age of majority; P.A. 73-147 added provisions re acceptance of diploma of National Board of Examiners in Optometry in lieu of examination; P.A. 74-59 prohibited disapproval of school solely because it is outside United States, its territories or possessions and prohibited refusing application or license to qualified person solely because he is not a citizen; P.A. 77-614 replaced secretary of the state board of education with commissioner of education, transferred conduct of examination from board to department of health services, retaining board in supervisory role and required consent of health services commissioner for acceptance of National Board diploma, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-484 essentially transferred licensing powers to department, deleted requirement that applicant be over eighteen and “of good moral character”, specified that waiver of examination applicable to currently practicing competent practitioners, required that board consult with recognized accrediting agencies and obtain consent of health services commissioner in approving schools, added provision re establishment of passing scores, prohibited issuing license to person involved in disciplinary action or unresolved complaint and required that board be notified annually of number of applications; P.A. 86-13 required that examination test knowledge of ocular pharmacology; P.A. 89-251 increased the fee from $150 to $450; P.A. 93-381 replaced department and commissioner of health services with department and commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 07-252 deleted provision requiring applicants to present satisfactory evidence of graduation from 4-year course of study in a public high school, or its equivalent, deleted provision requiring 4-year course of study at a school of optometry, deleted criteria for approval of schools of optometry, rephrased examination requirements, added treatment and management of ocular disease as component of examination, deleted language allowing department to accept a diploma of National Board of Examiners in Optometry in lieu of requiring examination, rephrased qualifications for licensure for persons holding licenses in other jurisdictions and for persons holding Council on Endorsed Licensure Mobility for Optometrists certificate, deleted provisions re fees and deleted provisions requiring the department to annually inform board of the number of applications for licensure without examination; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 increased fee from $450 to $565.

See Sec. 10-5 re high school equivalency diplomas.

Cited. 130 C. 347.

Partnership cannot be licensed to practice optometry. 21 CS 332.