SECTION 505:10-3-9. Automatic extension of licenses for those deployed on active duty with the Armed Forces

(a)   The Board shall automatically extend, on a year to year basis, the license of any optometrist duly licensed by the Board who is a member of the Armed Forces and is deployed outside the state of Oklahoma on active duty, conditioned on the prior written request for such extension by the duly licensed optometrist.

(b)   Within thirty days of his or her permanent return, the Oklahoma licensed optometrist shall notify the Board of his or her return from active duty deployment outside the state.

(c)   The automatic extension of the license shall continue after return from deployment outside the state until the next regular relicensing date. The optometrist shall be automatically relicensed as of the first regular relicensing date following return from deployment outside the state. During the year following the next regular relicensing date, the optometrist shall comply with all regular requirements for relicensure.

(d)   While an Oklahoma optometrist's license is on automatic extension pursuant to this rule, including for that portion of the extension after the optometrist returns from out of state deployment, and until the first regular relicensing date, the following conditions shall apply:

(1)   No payment of license renewal fees shall be required;

(2)   If the following conditions are met, no continuing education shall be required:

(A)   the optometrist requests a waiver of continuing education requirements in writing, including by electronic mail;

(B)   circumstances associated with his or her military duty prevent obtaining continuing education; and

(C)   the optometrist on active duty practices optometry as a part of his or her military duties; or

(D)   the optometrist on active duty presents other grounds justifying, in the sole discretion of the Board, waiver of continuing education requirements.

(3)   No evidence of completion of CPR training, or any other requirement, need be made to the Board.

[Source: Added at 30 Ok Reg 2136, eff 8-25-13]