Source: https://www.aado.info/state-board-rules/
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 01:02:29+00:00

Document:
1. “ABO” means the American Board of Opticianry.
2. “Applicant” means an individual requesting an initial or renewal license from the Board.
3. “Application packet” means the forms and additional information the Board requires to be submitted by an applicant or on the applicant’s behalf.
4. “Comity” means the procedure for granting an Arizona license to an applicant who is already licensed as a dispensing optician in another state of the United States.
5. “Days” means calendar days.
6. “Laboratory experience” means work directly involved in the process of producing optical devices and does not include work that is strictly clerical.
7. “License” means a written authorization issued by the Board to practice as a dispensing optician or operate an optical establishment in Arizona.
8. “NCLE” means the National Contact Lens Examiners.
9. “Nationally recognized body of opticianry accreditation” means the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation.
10. “Optical devices” means eyeglasses, contact lenses, prosthetic eyes, low-vision aids, other eyewear, and eyewear appurtenances or parts.
11. “Optometrist” means a person currently licensed in any state of the United States in the practice of the profession of optometry as defined in A.R.S. § 32-1701.
13. “Work week” means the period of time beginning on Sunday at 12:00 a.m. and ending the following Saturday at 11:59 p.m.
7. The fee required in R4-20-112.
A. An applicant shall file an application to take the dispensing optician license examination with the Board 45 days before the date of the examination.
B. The Board may reduce or waive the 45-day requirement for any portion of the application if its nonavailability is outside the applicant’s control.
C. The Board shall notify an applicant whose application is approved before the date of the examination as to the time and place of the examination.
A. At least twice each year, the Board shall administer a dispensing optician practical examination. The Board shall not space the examinations more than eight months apart.
B. The practical examination shall include measurement of optical devices, interpupillary distance, segment heights, corneal curvature, and the identification of lens styles and tints. An applicant shall use only Board-supplied measuring equipment and optical devices in the practical examination.
A. For the practical examination, an applicant shall not bring books or notes into the examination room, communicate by any means with other applicants while the examination is in progress unless expressly authorized by the presiding examiner, or leave the examination room without first securing the presiding examiner’s permission. If an applicant violates this subsection, the presiding examiner shall confiscate the examination answer sheet and the Board shall not allow the applicant to complete the examination.
B. For the practical examination, only applicants, Board members, employees of the Board and persons having the express permission of the Board are permitted in the examination room while the examination is in progress.
C. Examination papers are the property of the Board. The Board shall not return examination papers to the applicant.
achieve a grade of 70% or more on the ABO examination and shall achieve a grade of 72% or more on the NCLE examination.
B. An applicant who fails to pass the practical examination shall re-apply as an original applicant as described in R4-20-102.
4. The fee required in R4-20-112.
3. A statement that the information contained on the renewal application is correct.
B. A licensee who submits a renewal application and renewal fee postmarked after December 31 but before January 31 of the following year shall pay the late fee in R4-20-112.
3. Achieve a passing grade on the practical examination, unless the applicant has successfully completed the practical examination in the five-year period immediately preceding the license expiration.
A. Any person, corporation, company, partnership, firm, association or society operating an optical establishment, except those exempt under A.R.S. §32-1691, shall obtain an optical establishment license.
3. The fee required in R4-20-112.
C. To be licensed, an optical establishment shall employ at least one dispensing optician licensed by the Board, for at least 32 hours or more per week.
A. The overall time-frame described in A.R.S. § 41-1072(2) for each type of approval granted by the Board is set forth in Table 1. The applicant and the Executive Director of the Board may agree in writing to extend the substantive review and overall time-frame. The substantive review time-frame may not be extended by more than 25% of the overall time-frame.
B. The administrative completeness review time-frame described in A.R.S. § 41-1072(1) for each type of approval granted by the Board is set forth in Table 1.
a. For approval to take a dispensing optician examination or for an optical establishment license, when the Board receives an application packet.
b. For approval or denial of a license by examination, when the applicant takes the dispensing optician examination.
c. For a license by comity, when the Board receives an application packet.
2. If the application packet is incomplete, the Board shall send to the applicant a written notice specifying the missing document or incomplete information. The administrative completeness review time-frame and the overall time-frame are suspended from the postmark date of the notice until the date the Board receives a complete application packet from the applicant.
3. If an application packet is complete, the Board shall send a written notice of administrative completeness to the applicant.
4. If the Board grants a license or approval during the time provided to assess administrative completeness, the Board shall not issue a separate written notice of administrative completeness.
C. The substantive review time-frame described in A.R.S. § 41-1072(3) is set forth in Table 1 and begins on the postmark date of the notice of administrative completeness.
1. During the substantive review time-frame, the Board may make one comprehensive written request for additional information or documentation. The time-frame for the Board to complete the substantive review is suspended from the postmark date of the comprehensive written request for additional information or documentation until the Board receives the additional information or documentation.
meets the qualifications in A.R.S.§§32-1681 through 32-1684 and 32-1687.
3. The Board shall send a written notice of denial to an applicant who fails to meet the qualifications in A.R.S.§§32-1681 through 32-1684 and 32-1687.
2. Take the dispensing optician examination.
E. An applicant who does not want an application withdrawn may request a denial in writing within 360 days from the application submission date.
F. If a time-frame’s last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or an official state holiday, the next business day shall be considered the time-frame’s last day.
A. A licensee shall display all licenses in a conspicuous place. If a license is renewed, the licensee shall display the evidence of renewal in public view.
B. Optical establishment and dispensing optician licenses are not transferable.
C. A licensee shall return an optical establishment license to the Board upon transfer of ownership or going out of business.
A. An optical establishment licensee and dispensing optician licensee shall notify the Board of any change in the information provided to the Board concerning license application or its renewal, including any change in name, address, work location, establishment ownership or the name, address or home telephone number of each dispensing optician, working at the establishment.
B. This notice shall be in writing and made within 30 days of change of status.
3. The transfer or agreement to transfer a block of twenty percent or more of the outstanding voting stock of a corporation or association or the transfer or agreement to transfer any amount of voting stock that would give the transferee control of a majority of outstanding voting stock. For purposes of this paragraph, “voting stock” means any interest or system whereby the operation of a corporation is controlled by its owners or trustees.
3. The applicant’s signature and title.
B. A licensee who submits a renewal application and renewal fee postmarked after June 30 but before July 31 of the renewal year shall pay the late fee in R4-20-112.
C. A licensee who fails to submit a renewal application postmarked before July 31 following a licenseexpiration of June 30, and who wishes to re-apply for an establishment license, shall submit an original application, and pay the application fee and license fee in R4-20-112.
A. Except as provided in subsection (G), a party in a contested case before the Board who is aggrieved by a decision rendered in the case may file with the Board not later than 30 days after service of the decision, a written motion for rehearing or review of the decision specifying the particular grounds for the rehearing or review. For purposes of this Subsection a decision is deemed to be served when personally delivered or mailed by certified mail to the party at the party’s last known residence or place of business.
B. A party may amend a motion for rehearing or review at any time before it is ruled upon by the Board. Any other party may file a response within 15 days after service of the motion or amended motion. The Board may require the filing of written brief upon the issues raised in the motion and may provide for oral argument.
7. The decision is not justified by the evidence or is contrary to law.
D. The Board may affirm or modify the decision or grant a rehearing or review to all or any of the parties and on all or part of the issues for any of the reasons in subsection (C). An order granting a rehearing or review shall specify with particularity the grounds on which the rehearing or review is granted, and the rehearing or review shall cover only those matters specified.
E. Not later than 10 days after a decision is rendered, the Board may on its own initiative order a rehearing or review of its decision for any reason for which the Board might have granted a rehearing or review on motion of a party. After giving the parties or the parties’ counsel notice and an opportunity to be heard on the matter, the Board may grant a motion for rehearing or review for a reason not stated in the motion.
party may within 10 days after service, serve opposing affidavits. The Board may extend the period for an additional 20 days for good cause shown or by written stipulation of the parties. The Board may permit reply affidavits.
G. If in a decision the Board makes specific findings that the immediate effectiveness of the decision is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety and that a rehearing or review of the decision is impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest, the Board may issue the decision as a final decision without an opportunity for a rehearing or review. If a decision is issued as a final decision without an opportunity for rehearing or review, a party shall make application for judicial review of the decision within the time limits permitted for applications for judicial review of the Board’s final decisions.
H. For purposes of this Section the terms “contested case” and “party” have the same meaning as in A.R.S.§ 41-1001 and “appealable agency action” has the same meaning as in A.R.S.§41-1092.
A. The scope of practice of a dispensing optician means the activities described in A.R.S. §32-1671(3).
B. The dispensing optician shall fill a refill of a contact lens prescription prior to its expiration date with no more than the sufficient quantity of replacement contact lenses needed through the expiration date.
6. Failure to comply with a Board order.
5. To fail to give the customer appropriate instructions on the care, handling, and wearing of an optical device.
A. Within every three-year period from the date of obtaining a license, a person licensed as a dispensing optician shall complete no fewer than 12 hours of continuing education that is approved by the Board for credit.
1. If the course is from a school approved by the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation or college-accredited course, proof of course completion and the number of credits earned.
2. If the course is part of an event, a certificate of completion issued by the sponsor which identifies each part completed.
3. If the course is a home-study course, a certificate of completion issued by the sponsor and the number of credits earned.
4. For any other course, a certificate of completion issued by the sponsor or presenter and the number of credits earned.
5. If the licensee cannot obtain the above documentation, any other documents, affidavits, or testimony which provides assurance that the licensee has completed the requirements.
3. One hour in state or national opticianry standards.
D. Hours will be measured as follows: one credit hour will be assigned for each 50 minutes of a single session.
E. The Board shall discipline any licensee who submits false information for continuing education documentation.
F. A licensee shall not apply any hours accrued during one reporting period to any subsequent reporting period.
5. Brief curriculum vitae of the presenter.
The official rulemaking record for each rulemaking and a directory of substantive policy statements is located in the office of the Board and may be reviewed Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except state holidays.
R4-20-123. Petition for Rulemaking; Review of Agency Practice or Substantive Policy Statements; Objection to Rule Based Upon Economic, Small Business, or Consumer Impact.
8. The signature of the person submitting the petition.
A. On or before the close of record, a person may comment upon a rule proposed by the Board by submitting written comments to the Board.
B. The Board considers a written comment submitted on the date it is received by the Board, except if a comment is mailed the date of receipt is the postmark date.
C. The Board shall consider all written comments submitted during the public comment period.
3. Refer to the proposed rule and include, if known, the date and issue of the Arizona Administrative Register in which the proposed rule was published.
1. Registration of attendees. Registration of attendees is voluntary.
2. Registration of persons intending to speak. Registration information shall include the person’s name, representative capacity, if applicable, a notation of the person’s position with regard to the proposed rule and the approximate length of time the person wishes to speak.
6. Closing remarks. The presiding officer shall announce the location where written public comments are to be sent.
A. Any person may file a written criticism of an existing rule with the Board.
B. The criticism shall clearly identify the rule and specify why the existing rule is inadequate, unduly burdensome, unreasonable, or otherwise improper.
C. The Board shall acknowledge receipt of a criticism within 15 days and shall place the criticism in the official record for review by the Board under A.R.S.§41-1056.

References: § 32
 §32
 § 41
 § 41
 § 41
 §32