New Georgia
Law Impacts Opticians:
Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue signed a bill into law in May 2008, that
requires anyone wishing to apply to take the practical examination to be licensed as a dispensing optician based on experience to register
as an apprentice with the state’s licensing board.
The new law, HB 241, takes effect July 1, 2008. It sets an Aug. 31, 2008 deadline for registering to allow prior hours/years to count toward apprenticeship--which
means that any optician currently working in the field
who may wish to sit for the opticianry licensure examination any time in the future
needs to register by that date to receive credit for his or her practical training and experience.
According to
the law, anyone not registering by Aug. 31, 2008 will be required to begin his or her two-year apprenticeship all over.
Those applying to take the opticianry exam based on education from a recognized school are not affected.
For more
details, see the Opticians Association of Georgia Web site at www.oagonline.org
