H*3443(Rat #0032, Act #0043 of 2015)  General Bill, By Long, Erickson, Daning, 
Atwater, Bradley, Hixon, Newton, Ridgeway, Simrill, Spires, G.M. Smith, Weeks and 
Johnson

Similar(S 466)
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 40-37-290, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO THE PURCHASING, POSSESSING, ADMINISTERING, SUPPLYING, AND
 PRESCRIBING OF CERTAIN PHARMACEUTICAL AGENTS BY OPTOMETRISTS AND THE
 PROHIBITION ON SCHEDULE I AND II CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, SO AS TO CLARIFY THAT
 SCHEDULE II CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES THAT HAVE BEEN RECLASSIFIED FROM SCHEDULE
 III TO SCHEDULE II ON OR AFTER OCTOBER 6, 2014, MAY CONTINUE TO BE PURCHASED,
 POSSESSED, ADMINISTERED, SUPPLIED, AND PRESCRIBED BY AN OPTOMETRIST. -
 ratified title

   01/28/15  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 12)
   01/28/15  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 12)
   02/04/15  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor:
                     G.M.Smith, Weeks
   03/19/15  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Johnson
   03/25/15  House  Committee report: Favorable Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs (House Journal-page 64)
   03/26/15  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 29)
   03/26/15  House  Roll call Yeas-99  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 29)
   03/26/15  House  Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day (House Journal-page 30)
   03/27/15  House  Read third time and sent to Senate
                     (House Journal-page 2)
   03/31/15  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 8)
   03/31/15  Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs
                     (Senate Journal-page 8)
   04/01/15  Senate Recalled from Committee on Medical Affairs
                     (Senate Journal-page 3)
   04/23/15  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 22)
   04/23/15  Senate Roll call Ayes-41  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 22)
   04/28/15  Senate Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 13)
   05/07/15         Ratified R 32
   05/07/15         Signed By Governor
   05/14/15         Effective date 05/07/15
   06/09/15         Act No. 43

(A43, R32, H3443)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 40-37-290, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE PURCHASING, POSSESSING, ADMINISTERING, SUPPLYING, AND PRESCRIBING OF CERTAIN PHARMACEUTICAL AGENTS BY OPTOMETRISTS AND THE PROHIBITION ON SCHEDULE I AND II CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, SO AS TO CLARIFY THAT SCHEDULE II CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES THAT HAVE BEEN RECLASSIFIED FROM SCHEDULE III TO SCHEDULE II ON OR AFTER OCTOBER 6, 2014, MAY CONTINUE TO BE PURCHASED, POSSESSED, ADMINISTERED, SUPPLIED, AND PRESCRIBED BY AN OPTOMETRIST.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Optometrists, prescribing of certain pharmaceutical agents, exception for certain reclassified controlled substances

SECTION    1.    Section 40-37-290 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 40-37-290.    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an optometrist may purchase, possess, administer, supply, and prescribe pharmaceutical agents, including oral and topically applied medications other than Schedule I and II controlled substances as defined in Section 44-53-110 except controlled substances that have been reclassified from Schedule III to Schedule II effective on or after October 6, 2014, may continue to be purchased, possessed, administered, supplied, and prescribed by an optometrist, for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in the practice of optometry, except that:

(1)    when prescribing oral and topically applied medications, an optometrist is limited to these oral pharmaceutical agents: antihistamines, antimicrobial, antiglaucoma, over-the-counter drugs, and analgesics for the treatment of ocular and ocular adnexal eye disease. An optometrist may only prescribe these medications for the treatment of ocular and ocular adnexal eye disease;

(2)    when prescribing medications for the treatment of ocular and ocular adnexal disease, documentation in the patient's chart and appropriate consultations and referrals must be in accordance with the standard of care provided for in Section 40-37-310(E);

(3)    when prescribing analgesics, the prescription must be limited to a seven-day supply;

(4) when prescribing topical steroids, if after twenty-one days of treatment it is necessary to continue this medication, the optometrist shall communicate and collaborate with an ophthalmologist;

(5)    no medications may be given by injection or intravenously."

Time effective

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 7th day of May, 2015.

Approved the 7th day of May, 2015.