(a) The board may issue a license to practice optometry to a person who meets all of the following qualifications:
(1) Has a degree as a doctor of optometry issued by an accredited school or college of optometry.
(2) Is currently licensed in another state.
(3) Is currently a full-time faculty member of an accredited California school or college of optometry and has served in that capacity for a period of at least five continuous years.
(4) Has attained, at an accredited California school or college of optometry, the academic rank of professor, associate professor, or clinical professor, except that the status of adjunct or affiliated faculty member shall not be deemed sufficient.
(5) Has successfully passed the board’s jurisprudence examination.
(6) Is in good standing, with no past or pending malpractice awards or judicial or administrative actions.
(7) Has met the minimum continuing education requirements set forth in Section 3059 for the current and preceding year.
(8) Has met the requirements of Section 3041.3 regarding the use of therapeutic pharmaceutical agents under subdivision (d) of Section 3041.
(9) Has never had his or her license to practice optometry revoked or suspended.
(10) (A) Is not subject to denial based on any of the grounds listed in Section 480.
(B) Is not currently required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Section 290 of the Penal Code.
(11) Pays an application fee in an amount equal to the application fee prescribed by the board pursuant to Section 3152.
(12) Files an application on a form prescribed by the board.
(b) Any license issued pursuant to this section shall expire as provided in Section 3146, and may be renewed as provided in this chapter, subject to the same conditions as other licenses issued under this chapter.
(c) The term “in good standing,” as used in this section, means that a person under this section:
(1) Is not currently under investigation nor has been charged with an offense for any act substantially related to the practice of optometry by any public agency, nor entered into any consent agreement or subject to an administrative decision that contains conditions placed by an agency upon a person’s professional conduct or practice, including any voluntary surrender of license, nor been the subject of an adverse judgment resulting from the practice of optometry that the board determines constitutes evidence of a pattern of incompetence or negligence.
(2) Has no physical or mental impairment related to drugs or alcohol, and has not been found mentally incompetent by a physician so that the person is unable to undertake the practice of optometry in a manner consistent with the safety of a patient or the public.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 549, Sec. 6. (AB 443) Effective January 1, 2018.)