# Maryland HB 0380: State Board of Examiners in Optometry - Examination Requirements and Time Period for Inactive Status Maryland HB 0380, State Board of Examiners in Optometry - Examination Requirements and Time Period for Inactive Status, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Steve Johnson (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-14 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 26); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-11). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0380-2026RS - As of: 2026-10-11 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maryland HB 0380 - State: Maryland - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: State Board of Examiners in Optometry - Examination Requirements and Time Period for Inactive Status - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-19 - Last action: 2026-04-14, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 26 - Sponsor: Steve Johnson (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Health Occupations, Applicants and Applications, Committees and Commissions, Health Occupations -see also- (specific health occupations), Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; Permits, Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, and Opticians, Time - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (182 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Faster licenses for experienced or out-of-state optometrists: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Board may waive Maryland exams for applicants licensed in another state. You must pay the application fee, show three years of continuing education (or Maryland’s equivalent), provide a certified copy of your license, and not have failed a Board-required exam in the last… - Limits and paths for inactive optometry licenses: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Board places you on inactive status if you file the Board’s form and pay the inactive fee. You cannot stay inactive for more than six straight years. To reactivate from inactive, you must meet Board continuing education and pay the reinstatement fee. If your license expi… - Stricter optometry exams, easier retakes: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, applicants must pass every section of each part of the optometry exam. The State Board sets the exam subjects, form, and passing scores. Required topics include eye anatomy, physiology, pathology, and exam instruments. If you fail, you can take the next regularly scheduled e… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Steve Johnson (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-06 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 46 | 0 | | | 2026-02-26 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 136 | 0 | | ## Actions (12) - 2026-04-14: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 26 - 2026-04-07: Returned Passed (House) - 2026-04-06: Third Reading Passed (46-0) (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Favorable Report by Finance (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Referred Finance (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Third Reading Passed (136-0) (House) - 2026-02-24: Second Reading Passed (House) - 2026-02-24: Favorable Adopted (House) - 2026-02-23: Favorable Report by Health (House) - 2026-01-22: Hearing 2/04 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-01-19: First Reading Health (House) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2026-04-14: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_26_hb0380t.pdf) - Third Reading, 2026-02-24: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0380t.pdf) - First Reading, 2026-01-19: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0380f.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law) - SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law) - SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) - SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law) - SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law) - HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) ## Sources - [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_26_hb0380t.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0380t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0380f.pdf) ## Related - [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS) - [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS) - [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS) - [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS) - [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS) - [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS) - [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills) - [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0380-2026RS (as of 2026-10-11).