Colorado § 12-275-109 - Volunteer optometrist license.

§ 12-275-109. Volunteer optometrist license.

(1) A person licensed to practice optometry pursuant to this article 275 may apply to the board for volunteer licensure status. The board shall designate the form and manner of the application. The board may:

(a) Grant the application by issuing a volunteer license; or

(b) Deny the application if the licensee has been disciplined for any of the causes set forth in section 12-275-120.

(2) A person applying for a license under this section:

(a) Must either:

(I) Hold an active and unrestricted license to practice optometry in Colorado and be in active practice in this state; or

(II) Have been on inactive status pursuant to section 12-20-203 for not more than two years; and

(b) Shall:

(I) Pay a reduced license fee in lieu of the fee authorized by section 12-20-105. The director shall reduce the volunteer optometrist license fee from the license fee charged pursuant to sections 12-20-202 and 12-275-115 (1).

(II) Attest that, after a date certain, the applicant will no longer earn income as an optometrist;

(III) Maintain liability insurance as provided in section 12-275-128; and

(IV) Comply with the continuing education requirements established in section 12-275-115 (3); except that the board may establish lesser continuing education requirements for volunteer licensees.

(3) The face of each volunteer license issued pursuant to this section shall plainly indicate the volunteer status of the licensee.

(4) The board may conduct disciplinary proceedings pursuant to section 12-275-122 against any person licensed under this section for an act committed while the person was licensed pursuant to this section.

(5) A person licensed under this section may apply to the board for a return to active licensure status by filing an application in the form and manner designated by the board. The board may approve the application and issue a license to practice optometry or may deny the application if the licensee has been disciplined for or engaged in any of the activities set forth in section 12-275-120.

(6) An optometrist with a volunteer license shall provide optometry services only if the services are performed on a limited basis for no fee or other compensation.

Source: L. 2019: Entire title R&RE with relocations, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 1415, § 1, effective October 1.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 12-40-107.2 as it existed prior to 2019.