BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2683
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 12, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 2683 (Hernandez) - As Amended: April 13, 2010
Policy Committee: Business &
Professions Vote: 11-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill provides definitions and standards for optometrists
practicing in long term care settings such as skilled nursing
facilities (nursing homes), psychiatric hospitals, and
intermediate care facilities.
FISCAL EFFECT
Absorbable fee-supported special fund costs to the California
Board of Optometry to increase oversight of a small group of
professionals addressed by this bill.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . This bill is sponsored by the California Board of
Optometry to authorize optometrists to practice in
non-traditional settings such as nursing homes and
intermediate care facilities. This bill clarifies licensure
provisions and increases regulatory oversight of these
professionals by addressing issues such as the storage of
medical records and the provision of prescription information
to patients.
2)Author's amendments to be adopted in committee today to
clarify and reinforce provisions of current law with respect
to professional supervision.
3)Background . AB 986 (Eng), Chapter 276, Statutes of 2007 allows
optometrists to practice at temporary locations in a similar
fashion to statutes that authorize dentists to work at
temporary practice locations, such as nursing homes, schools,
AB 2683
Page 2
and other public institutions.
However, according to the author and sponsor, current law
provides inadequate regulatory safeguards for optometrists who
practice in long term care facilities. This bill increases
those safeguards. The author indicates the number of
professionals practicing in these patient settings will
increase as the proportion of elderly Californians continues
to increase.
4)Optometrists diagnose and treat vision problems and eye
diseases and write prescriptions for eyeglasses, contact
lenses, and medications. Optometrists are required to
complete at least three years of study at an accredited
college or university before beginning specialized optometry
training. The specialized training is four years in duration
and the optometry student must then pass written and clinical
state board examinations prior to licensure. Currently more
than 6,500 optometrists practice in California.
Analysis Prepared by : Mary Ader / APPR. / (916) 319-2081