A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 40-37-35 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS IN OPTOMETRY MAY ISSUE RESTRICTED VOLUNTEER MEMBER LICENSES TO OPTOMETRISTS FROM OTHER STATES WHO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA, AND TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SUPERVISION, DURATION, AND REGULATION OF SUCH LICENSES, AMONG OTHER THINGS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-37-10, RELATING TO MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA BOARD OF EXAMINERS IN OPTOMETRY, SO AS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-37-20, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS CONCERNING THE REGULATION OF OPTOMETRISTS, SO AS TO REVISE THE DEFINITIONS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-37-30, RELATING TO LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PRACTICE OF OPTOMETRY, SO AS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT CONSTITUTE THE PRACTICE OF OPTOMETRY; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-37-40, RELATING TO POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE BOARD SHALL REQUIRE LICENSED OPTOMETRISTS TO MEET EDUCATIONAL AND COMPETENCE REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-37-245, RELATING TO EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE BY ENDORSEMENT, SO AS TO ALLOW EXAMINATION EQUIVALENTS AS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-37-290, RELATING TO THE PURCHASING, PRESCRIBING, AND ADMINISTERING PHARMACEUTICAL AGENTS BY OPTOMETRISTS, SO AS TO REVISE THE REQUIREMENTS AND LIMIT THE PERMISSIBLE USE OF SUCH MEDICATIONS, AMONG OTHER THINGS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-37-310, RELATING TO REFERRALS FOR TREATMENT OF EYE DISEASES, SO AS TO REMOVE PROVISIONS CONCERNING THE TREATMENT OF GLAUCOMA AND PROVISION OF SURGERY; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-37-330, RELATING TO USE OF OPTOMETRISTS' SERVICES AUTHORIZED FOR AGENCY AND SCHOOL-REQUIRED EXAMINATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE OPTOMETRISTS MAY PROVIDE VISION OR EYE CARE SERVICES AT A SCHOOL IF APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-37-420, RELATING TO PRACTICE REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING CERTAIN LICENSEES, SO AS TO DELETE THE EXISTING PROVISIONS, TO PROVIDE PERSONS LICENSED AS OPTOMETRISTS IN THIS STATE MAY CONTINUE PRACTICING UNDER CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS EXCEPT THAT SUCH PERSONS LICENSED BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2013, MUST FULFILL CREDENTIALING REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM CERTAIN TREATMENTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 38-79-30, RELATING TO PROVISIONS LIMITING LIABILITY FOR VOLUNTEER HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS UNDER MEDICAL MALPRACTICE INSURANCE LAWS, SO AS TO REMOVE A PROVISION CONCERNING NOTICE REQUIREMENTS TO PATIENTS, AND TO INCLUDE OPTOMETRISTS AMONG THE VOLUNTEERS INCLUDED IN THESE PROVISIONS; BY AMENDING SECTION 44-30-310, RELATING TO IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY FOR FREE HEALTHCARE SERVICES, SO AS TO INCLUDE VOLUNTEER OPTOMETRISTS; AND BY REPEALING SECTION 40-37-300 RELATING TO ESTABLISHING PHARMACIES OR SELLING PHARMACEUTICAL AGENTS, AND DISPENSING CONTACT LENSES.
Sponsored By: B.J. Cox
Failed
Summary
Optometrists
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Bill Overview
No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
B.J. Cox
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
Lucas Atkinson
Republican • House
Brandon Newton
Republican • House
William H. Bailey
Republican • House
Nathan Ballentine
Republican • House
Heather Bauer
Democrat • House
Thomas Beach
Republican • House
Beth E. Bernstein
Democrat • House
Phillip Bowers
Republican • House
Gary S. Brewer, Jr.
Republican • House
Joseph M. "Joe" Bustos
Republican • House
Cody T. Mitchell
Republican • House
Paula Rawl Calhoon
Republican • House
Micajah P. "Micah" Caskey IV
Republican • House
Donald G. "Don" Chapman
Republican • House
Neal A. Collins
Republican • House
Shannon S. Erickson
Republican • House
Cally R. "Cal" Forrest, Jr.
Republican • House
Stephen D. Frank
Republican • House
Craig A. Gagnon
Republican • House
Kambrell H. Garvin
Democrat • House
Gil Gatch
Republican • House
Leon D. "Doug" Gilliam
Republican • House
Wendell G. Gilliard
Democrat • House
Jerry N. Govan, Jr.
Democrat • House
Hamilton R. Grant
Democrat • House
Thomas Duval "Val" Guest, Jr.
Republican • House
Brandon Guffey
Republican • House
William "Bill" Hager
Republican • House
Kevin Hardee
Republican • House
William G. "Bill" Herbkersman
Republican • House
William M. "Bill" Hixon
Republican • House
Harriet A. Holman
Republican • House
Lonnie Hosey
Democrat • House
Leon Howard
Democrat • House
JA Moore
Democrat • House
Jeffrey E. "Jeff" Johnson
Republican • House
John Gregory "Jay" Kilmartin
Republican • House
Roger K. Kirby
Democrat • House
Kathy Landing
Republican • House
John T. Lastinger, Jr.
Republican • House
M. Brian Lawson
Republican • House
Thomas R. "Randy" Ligon
Republican • House
Marvin "Mark" Smith
Republican • House
Josiah Magnuson
Republican • House
Donald Ryan McCabe, Jr.
Republican • House
Annie E. McDaniel
Democrat • House
Timothy A. "Tim" McGinnis
Republican • House
W. Scott Montgomery IV
Republican • House
T. Alan Morgan, Jr.
Republican • House
Melissa Lackey Oremus
Republican • House
Luke S. Rankin
Republican • House
Michael F. Rivers, Sr.
Democrat • House
Seth Rose
Democrat • House
Richard Blake Sanders
Republican • House
Carla M. Schuessler
Republican • House
Tiffany R. Spann-Wilder
Democrat • House
Travis A. Moore
Republican • House
Bill Taylor
Republican • House
David Vaughan
Republican • House
Courtney S. Waters
Democrat • House
J. David Weeks
Democrat • House
Elizabeth "Spencer" Wetmore
Democrat • House
Joseph S. "Joe" White
Republican • House
Paul B. Wickensimer
Republican • House
Chris Wooten
Republican • House
Richard L. "Richie" Yow
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
Actions Timeline
Recommitted to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
4/15/2026HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Gilliard
4/14/2026HouseScrivener's error corrected
4/13/2026legislatureCommittee report: Favorable with amendment Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
4/2/2026HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Brewer
3/10/2026HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Grant
2/25/2026HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Lastinger
2/24/2026HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Waters
2/4/2026HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Rankin
1/20/2026HouseCommitted to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
1/14/2026HouseRecalled from Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
1/14/2026HouseScrivener's error corrected
6/4/2025legislatureMember(s) request name added as sponsor: McDaniel
5/6/2025HouseMember(s) request name removed as sponsor: Burns
4/9/2025HouseMember(s) request name removed as sponsor: Huff
4/1/2025HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Ligon, Wickensimer
3/26/2025HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Bustos
3/25/2025HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Caskey
3/11/2025HouseMember(s) request name removed as sponsor: Moss
3/10/2025HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Yow
3/10/2025HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Chapman
3/6/2025HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Hixon, Bernstein, Beach, Erickson, Vaughan
3/5/2025HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Weeks
3/4/2025HouseMember(s) request name added as sponsor: Bowers, Landing
2/27/2025HouseReferred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
2/26/2025House
Bill Text
Introduced
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