SRC-SLL H.B. 2394 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 2394 By: Maxey (To Be Determined) Health Services 5/14/1999 Engrossed DIGEST Currently, the Texas Optometry Act regulates the practice of optometry in Texas. C.S.H.B. 2394 amends this Act to except certain applicants who wish to take a licensing examination to practice therapeutic optometry and who have not yet graduated from a college of optometry. Furthermore, this bill authorizes the Texas Optometry Board to issue a license to practice therapeutic optometry without requiring an applicant to pass all or part of the required examination under certain conditions. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 2394 sets forth provisions relating to the regulation of the practice of optometry. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subsection (a), Article 4552-3.02, V.T.C.S. (Texas Optometry Act), to authorize an applicant to take an examination without having graduated from a reputable college of optometry if the dean of such a college that meets the requirements of the Texas Optometry Board (board) notifies the board in writing that the applicant is enrolled in goodstanding in the college and is in the final semester before graduation and the applicant meets the other requirements of this subsection. SECTION 2. Amends Article 3, Article 4552-3.01 et seq., V.T.C.S. (Texas Optometry Act), by adding Section 3.085, as follows: Sec. 3.085. LICENSE WITHOUT EXAMINATION. Authorizes the board to issue a license to practice therapeutic optometry without requiring the applicant to pass all or part of the examination required by Section 3.01 of this Act if: _the applicant is licensed in good standing as a therapeutic optometrist inanother state, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the UnitedStates; _the applicant has passed an examination that is substantially equivalentto the examination required by Section 3.01 of this Act; _during at least five of the seven years preceding the application date,the applicant has been actively engaged in the practice of therapeuticoptometry or engaged in full-time teaching at an accredited college ofoptometry or medicine; _there are no pending disciplinary actions against the applicant in thestate, district, or territory in which the applicant is licensed; and _the applicant's license has never been suspended or revoked. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999 SECTION 4. Emergency clause.