(a)
(1) Notwithstanding any provision of state law, records of the State Board of Optometry pertaining to an impaired optometrist shall be exempt from the Freedom of Information Act of 1967, § 25-19-101 et seq., shall be kept confidential and shall not be subject to discovery or subpoena.
(2) No person in attendance at any meeting of the board concerning an impaired optometrist shall be required to testify as to any discussions or proceedings.
(b) However, information, documents, or records otherwise available from original sources are not to be construed as immune from discovery or use in any such action merely because they were presented during the proceedings of the board meeting on an optometrist, nor shall any person who testifies before the board meeting on an optometrist, or who is a member of the board, be prevented from testifying as to matters within his or her knowledge, but the witness shall not be asked about his or her testimony before the board or about opinions formed by him or her as a result of the board hearings.