South Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee

S 393 — Optometrists

Last action — Scrivener's error corrected

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced February 26, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Stalled 24% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 16 sponsors

    16 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

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.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

8 added · 7 removed

8 line(s) added, 7 removed.

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Latest
2025-2026 Bill 393 Text of Previous Version (Jun.
2025-2026 Bill 393 Text of Previous Version (Feb.
04, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online South Carolina General Assembly126th Session, 2025-2026Bill 393Indicates Matter StrickenIndicates New Matter(Text matches printed bills.
26, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online South Carolina General Assembly126th Session, 2025-2026Bill 393Indicates Matter StrickenIndicates New Matter(Text matches printed bills.
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 40-37-420, RELATING TO PRACTICE REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING CERTAIN LICENSEES, SO AS TO DELETE THE EXISTING PROVISIONS, TO PROVIDE PERSONS LICENSED AS OPHTHALMOLOGISTS 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;
----XX---- This web page was last updated on June 04, 2025 at 03:17 PM
----XX---- This web page was last updated on February 26, 2025 at 01:46 PM
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Action History

  1. Scrivener's error corrected

  2. Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs

  3. Introduced and read first time

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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16 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 154 not signed on

Sponsors (16)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (154)

154 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 154 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

healthcare labor education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does S 393 do?
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.
Who sponsors S 393?
S 393 is sponsored by Nutt, Roger A., Senator Jason Elliott, Senator Russell L. Ott, Senator Allen Blackmon, Senator JD Chaplin, Senator Ronnie W. Cromer, Senator Michael W. Gambrell, Senator Greg Hembree, Senator Ed Sutton, Senator Kent M. Williams, Senator Jeffrey R. Graham, Senator Rex F. Rice, Senator Jeff Zell, Senator Ross Turner, Senator Billy Garrett, and Senator Margie Bright Matthews.
What is the current status of S 393?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced February 26, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track S 393?
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