1. A. An applicant meeting the qualifications set forth in Section 61-2-8 NMSA 1978 for initial licensure shall file an application under oath on forms supplied by the board for an examination by the board. The examination shall be confined to the subjects within the curriculum of colleges of optometry approved and accredited by the board and shall include written tests and practical demonstrations and may include oral tests. A person issued a license by examination shall be issued the license upon payment of required fees.
2. B. No later than thirty days after an out-of-state licensee files an application for an expedited license, the board shall process the application and issue an expedited license in accordance with Section 61-1-31.1 NMSA 1978. If the board issues an expedited license to a person whose prior licensing jurisdiction did not require examination, the board may require the person to pass an examination before applying for license renewal.
3. C. The board by rule shall determine those states and territories of the United States and the District of Columbia from which it will not accept an applicant for expedited licensure and shall determine any foreign countries from which it will accept an applicant for expedited licensure. The board shall post the lists of disapproved and approved licensing jurisdictions on its website. The list of disapproved licensing jurisdictions shall include the specific reasons for disapproval. The lists shall be reviewed annually to determine if amendments to the rule are warranted.

History: 1953 Comp., § 67-1-8, enacted by Laws 1973, ch. 353, § 8; 2022, ch. 39, § 13.

ANNOTATIONS

Cross references. — For license fees, see 61-2-11 NMSA 1978.

The 2022 amendment, effective May 18, 2022, provided for expedited licensure, provided that if the optometry board issues an expedited license to a person whose prior licensing jurisdiction did not require examination, the board may require the person to pass an examination before applying for license renewal, required the optometry board to determine by rule, and to post on its website, which states and territories of the United States and the District of Columbia from which the board will not accept an applicant for expedited licensure and those foreign countries from which the board will accept an applicant for expedited licensure, required that the list of disapproved licensing jurisdictions include a reason for disapproval, and required the board to review the lists annually to determine if amendments to the rule are needed; in the section heading, added "expedited"; in Subsection A, after "set forth in Section", deleted "67-1-7 NMSA 1953" and added "61-2-8 NMSA 1978 for initial licensure", deleted former Paragraph A(2); and deleted former Subsection B and added new Subsections B and C.

Temporary provisions. — Laws 2022, ch. 39, § 104 provided that a board that is required by Laws 2022, ch. 39 to change its licensing provisions to allow for new or different expedited licensure shall have rules in place and operational by January 1, 2023.

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 61 Am. Jur. 2d Physicians, Surgeons and Other Healers §§ 59, 60, 67.

70 C.J.S. Physicians, Surgeons, and Other Health-Care Providers § 20.