Ala. Admin. Code r. 630-X-5-.09

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 630-X-5-.09 - Initial Licensing Of Military Spouses

Eligible individuals under this section who possess a license or certificate to practice optometry in another state, district, or territory of the United States, or in any branch of the armed forces of the United States may apply for a regular annual license to practice optometry and/or a temporary permit to practice pending regular licensure.

(a) Any eligible individual shall be entitled, upon application, to the issuance of regular license to practice optometry in the state of Alabama if the requirements for licensure or certification to practice optometry relied upon by the applicant for this section are the same as or substantially similar to those requirements for regular licensure to practice optometry set out in these rules or in the Alabama Code.

(b) Any eligible individual shall be entitled to a temporary permit to practice optometry in the state of Alabama for a period not to exceed one hundred eighty (180) days, upon application, if the requirements for licensure or certification relied upon by the applicant for this section are less than or do not include one or more of the requirements for regular licensure to practice optometry set out in these rules or in the Alabama Code. In the event that the applicant does not successfully meet the requirements for regular licensure within the said one hundred eighty (180) days, the temporary permit provided for herein shall automatically expire.

(c) Definitions and Meaning. For the purposes of this section, the following terms and phrases shall have the corresponding meanings:

1. eligible individual shall mean

(i) either a spouse of an active duty, reserve, or transitioning member of the United States Armed Forces, including the national guard, or a surviving spouse of such a service member who, at the time of such member's death, was serving on active duty; and

(ii) has relocated to and been stationed in the state of Alabama with their spouse or deceased spouse under official military orders; and

(iii) Possess a valid unrestricted license to practice optometry in another state, district, or territory of the United States, or in any branch of the armed forces of the United States and has not been disciplined or subject to investigation by any licensing agency or authorized entity in relation to their professional license or certificate.

2. temporary permit shall mean an unrestricted license to practice optometry in the state of Alabama for a period of one hundred and eighty (180) days from the date of issue. The holder of a temporary permit shall be subject to same rules, requirements, and discipline as that of a regularly licensed optometrist as set out in the Alabama Code and Chapter 630 of the Alabama Administrative Code.

3. substantially similar licensing requirements shall be deemed to have been met where the applicant can show to the satisfaction of the Board that he or she:

(i) is 19 years of age, or over, a citizen of the United States or, if not a citizen of the United States, a person who is legally present in the United States with appropriate documentation from the federal government, and of good moral character;

(ii) has a preliminary education of at least four years of high school or the equivalent and is a graduate thereof,

(iii) has at least three years of preoptometry, or the equivalent, at an accredited college or university;

(iv) has completed a course of study in an accredited school or college of optometry which is approved by the board and that requires at least four years of professional study;

(v) has passed all examinations prescribed by the board after completion of the educational requirements, which examinations shall include the standard examination given by the Board. Where an eligible individual under this section has taken and passed a standard examination given by another licensing authority, the eligible individual may submit the results of such standardized examination to the Board along with documentation showing the subject matter tested. If the Board determines that the breadth and depth of the subject matter tested on such standard examination is substantially similar to that standard examination given by the Board, the Board shall accept the results of such examination in lieu of the requirement for passage of the standard examination given by the Board.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 630-X-5-.09

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVIII, Issue No. 05, February 28, 2020, eff. 4/13/2020.

Authors: Wallace D. Mills, Dr. Fred Wallace

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §