Optometry: mobile optometric offices.

Existing law, the Optometry Practice Act, establishes the State Board of Optometry within the Department of Consumer Affairs and sets forth the powers and duties of the board relating to the licensure and regulation of the practice of optometry. Existing law regulates the ownership and operation of mobile optometric offices, as defined, including, among other things, requiring the owner and operator of a mobile optometric office to file a quarterly report containing specified information. Existing law requires the board, by January 1, 2023, to adopt regulations establishing a registry for the owners and operators of mobile optometric offices, as specified. Existing law prohibits the board, before January 1, 2023, from bringing an enforcement action against an owner and operator of a mobile optometric office based solely on its affiliation status with an approved optometry school in California for remotely providing optometric service. Existing law makes these and other provisions related to the permitting and regulation of mobile optometric offices effective only until July 1, 2025, and repeals them as of that date. This bill would authorize the owner and operator of a mobile optometric office to instead file the above-described quarterly reports as a single, annual report during the first renewal period of 2 years, as specified. The bill would also extend the deadline for the board to adopt the above-described regulations to January 1, 2026. The bill would prohibit the board from bringing the above-described enforcement action before January 1, 2026, or before the board adopts those regulations, whichever is earlier. The bill would extend the repeal date of the provisions related to the permitting and regulation of mobile optometric clinics to July 1, 2035.