South Carolina S 393: Immigration Compliance Report

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 393 Text of Previous Version (Jun. 04, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 393

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
40-37-35 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS IN OPTOMETRY MAY ISSUE 
RESTRICTED VOLUNTEER MEMBER LICENSES TO OPTOMETRISTS FROM OTHER STATES WHO MEET 
CERTAIN CRITERIA, AND TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SUPERVISION, DURATION, 
AND REGULATION OF SUCH LICENSES, AMONG OTHER THINGS; BY AMENDING SECTION 
40-37-10, RELATING TO MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA BOARD OF 
EXAMINERS IN OPTOMETRY, SO AS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS; BY 
AMENDING SECTION 40-37-20, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS CONCERNING THE REGULATION OF 
OPTOMETRISTS, SO AS TO REVISE THE DEFINITIONS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-37-30, 
RELATING TO LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PRACTICE OF OPTOMETRY, SO AS TO 
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT CONSTITUTE THE PRACTICE OF OPTOMETRY; BY 
AMENDING SECTION 40-37-40, RELATING TO POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD, SO AS TO 
PROVIDE THE BOARD SHALL REQUIRE LICENSED OPTOMETRISTS TO MEET EDUCATIONAL AND 
COMPETENCE REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD; BY AMENDING SECTION 
40-37-245, RELATING TO EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE BY ENDORSEMENT, 
SO AS TO ALLOW EXAMINATION EQUIVALENTS AS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD; BY AMENDING 
SECTION 40-37-290, RELATING TO THE PURCHASING, PRESCRIBING, AND ADMINISTERING 
PHARMACEUTICAL AGENTS BY OPTOMETRISTS, SO AS TO REVISE THE REQUIREMENTS AND 
LIMIT THE PERMISSIBLE USE OF SUCH MEDICATIONS, AMONG OTHER THINGS; BY AMENDING 
SECTION 40-37-310, RELATING TO REFERRALS FOR TREATMENT OF EYE DISEASES, SO AS 
TO REMOVE PROVISIONS CONCERNING THE TREATMENT OF GLAUCOMA AND PROVISION OF 
SURGERY; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-37-330, RELATING TO USE OF OPTOMETRISTS' 
SERVICES AUTHORIZED FOR AGENCY AND SCHOOL-REQUIRED EXAMINATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE 
OPTOMETRISTS MAY PROVIDE VISION OR EYE CARE SERVICES AT A SCHOOL IF APPROVED BY 
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-37-420, 
RELATING TO PRACTICE REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING CERTAIN LICENSEES, SO AS TO DELETE 
THE EXISTING PROVISIONS, TO PROVIDE PERSONS LICENSED AS OPTOMETRISTS IN THIS 
STATE MAY CONTINUE PRACTICING UNDER CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS EXCEPT THAT SUCH 
PERSONS LICENSED BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2013, MUST FULFILl CREDENTIALING 
REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM CERTAIN TREATMENTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 38-79-30, 
RELATING TO PROVISIONS LIMITING LIABILITY FOR VOLUNTEER HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS 
UNDER MEDICAL MALPRACTICE INSURANCE LAWS, SO AS TO REMOVE A PROVISION 
CONCERNING NOTICE REQUIREMENTS TO PATIENTS, AND TO INCLUDE OPTOMETRISTS AMONG 
THE VOLUNTEERS INCLUDED IN THESE PROVISIONS; BY AMENDING SECTION 44-30-310, 
RELATING TO IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY FOR FREE HEALTHCARE SERVICES, so as to 
include volunteer optometrists; AND BY REPEALING SECTION 40-37-300 RELATING TO 
ESTABLISHING PHARMACIES OR SELLING PHARMACEUTICAL AGENTS, and DISPENSING 
CONTACT LENSES.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 37, Title 40 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

 Section 
40-37-35. (A) The State Board of Examiners in 
Optometry may issue a restricted volunteer license to an optometrist who:

 (1) 
has held a license issued by the board or the corresponding license as a 
licensee in good standing in another state that is equivalent to a South 
Carolina license in regard to scope of practice, education, experience, and 
training as determined by the board;

 (2) 
has passed an examination as prescribed by the board;

 (3) 
has not failed the corresponding clinical examination of the state that issued 
the license within the past five years;

 (4) 
has not been the subject of disciplinary action in any jurisdiction; and

 (5) 
has at least five years of clinical practice in the field for which he is 
seeking the license.

 (B) A 
person holding a restricted volunteer license under this section:

 (1) 
only may practice in clinics prescribed by the board in regulation;

 (2) 
only may treat patients who have no insurance or who are not eligible for 
financial assistance for optometric services; and

 (3) 
may not receive remuneration directly or indirectly for providing optometric 
services.

 (C) An 
optometrist with a restricted volunteer license issued under this section 
shall, every thirty days, review the cases of all patients he or she treated 
during the preceding thirty-day period with an optometrist who holds an active 
license issued by the South Carolina State Board of Examiners in Optometry.

 (D) A 
license issued under this section is valid for two years from the date of issue 
and must be maintained in accordance with continuing education requirements and 
procedures established by