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Tennessee Statutes, Title 63

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Tennessee/Statutes

← All Tennessee coverage

Title 63, Professions Of The Healing Arts

32 chapters · 1,093 sections in this title.

All chapters in Title 631,093 Ch 6, Medicine and Surgery130 Ch 1, Division of Health Related Boards124 Ch 10, Pharmacy73 Ch 11, Psychologists69 Ch 7, Nursing52 Ch 17, Licensure Act for Communication Diso…52 Ch 12, Tennessee Veterinary Practice Act47 Ch 13, Occupational and Physical Therapy Pr…42 Ch 3, Podiatrists41 Ch 19, Physician Assistants40 Ch 5, Dentists38 Ch 22, Professional Counselors, Marital and…33 Ch 27, Respiratory Care Practitioner Act32 Ch 8, Optometry Law30

30 sections·Filtered byTitle 63✕Ch 8✕

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-101 Short title
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This chapter may be cited as the “Optometry Law.”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-102 Chapter definitions. [Effective until January 1, 2028. See the version effective on January 1, 2028.]
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(1) As used in this chapter unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Board” means the board of optometry created by this chapter or similar boards created by the optometry law of other states;(2) “Certificate of fitness” means the certificate issued by the board certifying to t…
Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-103 Board of optometry — Created — Members — Terms
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(a) (1) A board is created that shall be known and designated as the board of optometry. This board shall consist of five (5) members, all of whom shall be licensed to practice the full scope of optometry and be residents of Tennessee and actively practicing optometrists in Tenne…
Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-104 Oath of board members
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All members of the board shall, before entering upon the duties of their office, take and subscribe to the oath, filed with the secretary-treasurer of the board.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-105 Appointments to the board

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(a) The members of the board shall be appointed by the governor. Members may be appointed from lists of qualified nominees submitted by interested optometric groups, including, but not limited to, the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians. The governor shall consult with…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-106 Removal of members of board

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(a) The governor or the board shall have the right to remove from office any or all of the members of the board for inefficiency, neglect of duty or the violation of this chapter. (b) If the certificate of registration or license of any member of the board is suspended or revoked…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-107 Officers of board — Meetings — Examinations

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(a) The board shall choose one (1) of its members as chair, one (1) as vice chair and one (1) as secretary-treasurer, annually. (b) The board may meet, in its discretion, at such times and places as it may deem proper for the examination of applicants who wish to practice optomet…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-108 Quorum — Records of board

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(a) A majority of the members of the board shall at all times constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the proceedings of the board shall be recorded in a minute book that shall be open at all reasonable times to public inspection. (b) The board shall keep a recor…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-109 Reports of board

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The secretary-treasurer of the board shall make such reports of the operation of the board as requested by the governor, appropriate committees of the general assembly or as otherwise required by law.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-110 Compensation of board members

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The members of the board shall be paid their expenses, including mileage, hotel expenses, meals and the sum of one hundred dollars ($100) per diem when actually engaged in the discharge of their official duties. Each member shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance wi…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-111 Administrative support

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The board shall receive administrative support from the division.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-112 Powers of board — Examinations

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(1) The board is given authority to:(1) Make rules, regulations, policies and procedures not inconsistent with the laws of this state for the proper performance of its duties to carry out the purposes and to enforce this chapter;(2) Provide a standard of efficiency as to the mora…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-113 Unlawful practices — Advertising

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(a) It is unlawful for any person not duly licensed in accordance with this chapter to:(1) Engage in the practice of optometry;(2) Claim to be a practitioner of optometry;(3) Attempt by any means whatsoever to determine the kind or power of ophthalmic materials needed by any pers…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-114 Exemptions

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(1) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed:(1) As applying to medical doctors and doctors of osteopathic medicine lawfully entitled to practice their profession in this state;(2) As applying to an optometric faculty member licensed in another state and employed full time by a…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-115 Qualifications of applicants

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(a) Every person who desires to practice optometry in this state shall submit an application to the board. Each applicant must show sufficient information for the board to determine that the applicant meets all of the following requirements:(1) Is over twenty-one (21) years of ag…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-116 Display of certificate

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Each person to whom a certificate of registration is issued shall keep the certificate conspicuously displayed in that person's office, as required by § 63-1-109 and shall when requested exhibit the same to any member or representative of the board.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-118 Discrimination between ocular practitioners prohibited

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No state board, commission or department created or existing by act of the general assembly, including public schools or other state agencies in the performance of their duties, shall in any way show any discrimination between ocular practitioners. All boards or commissions shall…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-119 Annual registration — Continuing education

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(a) Every registered optometrist who desires to continue to practice in this state shall pay an annual renewal fee to defray the cost of regulating optometry and shall furnish satisfactory evidence of having met minimum continuing education requirements, as set by the board. The …

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-120 Discipline of certificate holders

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(a) The board may refuse to issue an annual renewal certificate, may suspend or revoke any certificate issued by it, censure, reprimand, place on probation and assess a civil penalty up to one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each separate violation whenever the certificate holder i…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-121 Administrative procedures

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The Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, shall apply to all proceedings of the board and regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-122 Penalties

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A violation of this chapter is a Class B misdemeanor.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-123 Regulation of laboratory practices of optometrists

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The commissioner of health has the authority to regulate the laboratory practices of optometrists to ensure that such practices are in full compliance with the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) (42 U.S.C. § 263a).

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-124 Public policy

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(1) It is the public policy of the state that:(1) Optometrists rendering visual care to citizens shall practice in an ethical, professional manner;(2) Optometrists' practices shall be free from any influences that would interfere with their exercise of professional judgment;(3) T…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-125 Lease between an optometrist and manufacturer, wholesaler or retailer of ophthalmic materials — Control of professional judgment or practice by lessor prohibited

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(a) A manufacturer, wholesaler or retailer of ophthalmic materials who leases space to an optometrist shall not, directly or indirectly, control or attempt to control the professional judgment or practice of an optometrist. (b) As used in this section, the phrase “control or atte…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-126 Drug prescriptions

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(a) Any handwritten prescription order for a drug prepared by an optometrist who is authorized by law to prescribe a drug must be legible so that it is comprehensible by the pharmacist who fills the prescription. The handwritten prescription order must contain the name of the pre…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-127 Prohibition against requirement of minimum purchase of ophthalmic materials as a condition of participation in vision or health care plan

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(a) No person shall require an optometrist to purchase a minimum quantity or minimum dollar amount of a specified brand of ophthalmic materials in order to participate as a provider in a vision or other health care plan. (b) An optometrist may file an action in the chancery court…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-128 Inactive licenses to perform pro bono services

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The board of optometry shall establish by rule an inactive license category that allows optometrists to perform services without compensation only for those persons receiving services from organizations that have received a determination of exemption under § 501(c)(3) of the Inte…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-129 Use of local anesthetic. [Effective January 1, 2028.]

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(1) An optometrist who uses a local anesthetic, as described in § 63-8-102(12)(A)(v)(f), shall provide to the board proof of the following:(1) The optometrist has a current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification by an organization approved by the board; and(2) The opto…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-130 Laser surgical procedures. [Effective January 1, 2028.]

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(a) An optometrist may only perform the following surgical procedures utilizing a LASER:(1) Peripheral iridotomy;(2) Selective laser trabeculoplasty; and(3) YAG capsulotomy. (1) Peripheral iridotomy; (2) Selective laser trabeculoplasty; and (3) YAG capsulotomy. (b) An optometrist…

Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-8-131 Standard of care. [Effective on January 1, 2028.]

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An optometrist is held to the same standard of care as that of other physicians providing similar services.