Professions and occupations; optometry licenses; annual fees; effective date.
Summary
HB1819 amends Oklahoma law governing optometry licensing fees. The bill increases the maximum annual license fee that the Board of Examiners in Optometry may set by rule from $300 to $500, while leaving in place the existing structure for examination fees, late-payment consequences, and the Board’s authority to manage the Optometry Board Revolving Fund. It also keeps the requirement that annual license fees be paid by June 30 each year and preserves the process for revoking a certificate after notice and an opportunity to comply.
The bill does not create a new licensing program or change who may practice optometry; instead, it adjusts the fee ceiling for existing licensees and maintains the Board’s administrative control over collected fees and expenditures. The effective date is November 1, 2025, so the higher maximum fee would apply beginning in the next licensing cycle after that date if the Board adopts rules up to the new cap.
Impact
HB1819 directly amends 59 O.S. 2021, Section 587, which governs optometry examination fees, annual license fees, and the Optometry Board Revolving Fund. The practical effect is to authorize the Board of Examiners in Optometry to raise annual license fees for optometrists in Oklahoma by rule up to $500 per year, increasing the potential cost of licensure for practitioners. The bill leaves the Board’s fee-setting discretion intact, but expands the statutory ceiling and therefore the Board’s revenue-raising authority for regulatory operations.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have received generally favorable support, as reflected by passage in both chambers and successful veto overrides in both the Senate and House. Committee votes were also largely positive, with only limited opposition at each stage. The voting pattern suggests broad acceptance of the measure as an administrative fee adjustment rather than a major policy change.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the higher cost imposed on licensed optometrists, since the bill raises the maximum annual fee from $300 to $500. Opposition appears to have come from a minority in both chambers, indicating some concern about increasing professional licensing costs or the need for the higher cap. No transcript discussion is available, so the record does not show additional disputes beyond the fee increase itself.