Sec. 20-128a. Board of examiners. Regulations.
Sec. 20-128a. Board of examiners. Regulations. (a) There shall be within the
Department of Public Health a Connecticut Board of Examiners for Optometrists. Said
board shall consist of seven members appointed by the Governor, subject to the provisions of section 4-9a, as follows: Four practicing licensed optometrists in good professional standing who reside in this state and three public members. The optometrists
appointed for terms beginning on and after January 1, 1997, shall be optometrists authorized under this chapter to practice at the highest level of their profession, except that
any optometrist serving on the board on October 1, 1996, shall be eligible for reappointment on or after January 1, 1997, whether or not such optometrist is authorized to
practice at the highest level of his profession. The Governor shall appoint a chairman
from among such members. No member appointed on or after January 1, 1991, shall
serve on the board for more than twelve years.
(b) Said board shall meet at least once during each calendar quarter and at such
other times as the chairman deems necessary. Special meetings shall be held on the
request of a majority of the board after notice in accordance with the provisions of section
1-225. A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum. Members shall
not be compensated for their services. Any member who fails to attend three consecutive
meetings or who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar
year shall be deemed to have resigned from office. Minutes of all meetings shall be
recorded by the board. No member shall participate in the affairs of the board during
the pendency of any disciplinary proceedings by the board against such member. No
professional member shall be an elected or appointed officer of a professional society
of optometrists or have been such an officer during the year immediately preceding his
appointment.
(c) The Commissioner of Public Health, with advice and assistance from the board,
may make and enforce such regulations as the commissioner deems necessary to maintain proper professional and ethical standards for optometrists. The commissioner shall
adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, requiring each optometrist licensed
pursuant to this chapter to complete a minimum of twenty hours of continuing education
during each registration period, defined as the twelve-month period for which a license
has been renewed pursuant to section 19a-88 and is current and valid. The board may
revoke or suspend licenses for cause.
(d) The Board of Examiners for Optometrists shall (1) hear and decide matters
concerning suspension or revocation of licensure, (2) adjudicate complaints filed against
practitioners licensed under this chapter, and (3) impose sanctions where appropriate.
(P.A. 80-484, S. 44, 46, 176; P.A. 81-471, S. 32, 71; P.A. 90-75; P.A. 93-296, S. 8, 10; 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257,
S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 96-123, S. 2; P.A. 98-143, S. 10, 24; P.A. 07-92, S. 5; P.A. 08-184, S. 15.)
History: P.A. 81-471 changed "elected official" to "elected or appointed officer" as of July 1, 1981, and increased
membership from three to seven members, adding two additional optometrist members and two additional public members;
P.A. 90-75 required that newly appointed optometrist members whose terms begin on or after January 1, 1991, be authorized
to use pharmaceutical agents and limited the length of time a person is able to serve on the board; P.A. 93-296 deleted
board members' reimbursement for expenses, effective June 29, 1993; 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. 96-123 substituted optometrists authorized to practice at "highest
level" for optometrists authorized to use certain pharmaceutical agents; P.A. 98-143 added quorum provision in Subsec.
(b), effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 07-92 amended Subsec. (c) to require adoption of regulations requiring optometrists to
complete a minimum of 20 hours of continuing education during each registration period, effective June 5, 2007; P.A. 08-184 amended Subsec. (a) by substituting "twelve" for "eight" years re maximum term of service on the board for a member
appointed on or after January 1, 1991.
See Sec. 4-9a for definition of "public member".