(1) The following acts constitute grounds for denial of a license or disciplinary action, as specified in s. 456.072(2):
(a) Procuring or attempting to procure a license to practice optometry by bribery, by fraudulent misrepresentations, or through an error of the department or board.
(b) Procuring or attempting to procure a license for any other person by making or causing to be made any false representation.
(c) Having a license to practice optometry revoked, suspended, or otherwise acted against, including the denial of licensure, by the licensing authority of another jurisdiction.
(d) Being convicted or found guilty, regardless of adjudication, of a crime in any jurisdiction which directly relates to the practice of optometry or to the ability to practice optometry. Any plea of nolo contendere shall be considered a conviction for the purposes of this chapter.
(e) Making or filing a report or record which the licensee knows to be false, intentionally or negligently failing to file a report or record required by state or federal law, willfully impeding or obstructing such filing, or inducing another person to do so. Such reports or records shall include only those which are signed by the licensee in her or his capacity as a licensed practitioner.
(f) Advertising goods or services in a manner which is fraudulent, false, deceptive, or misleading in form or content.
(g) Fraud or deceit, negligence or incompetency, or misconduct in the practice of optometry.
(h) A violation or repeated violations of provisions of this chapter, or of chapter 456, and any rules promulgated pursuant thereto.
(i) Conspiring with another licensee or with any person to commit an act, or committing an act, which would coerce, intimidate, or preclude another licensee from lawfully advertising her or his services.
(j) Willfully submitting to any third-party payor a claim for services which were not provided to a patient.
(k) Failing to keep written optometric records about the examinations, treatments, and prescriptions for patients.
(l) Willfully failing to report any person who the licensee knows is in violation of this chapter or of rules of the department or the board. However, a person who the licensee knows is unable to practice optometry with reasonable skill and safety to patients by reason of illness or use of alcohol, drugs, narcotics, chemicals, or any other type of material, or as a result of a mental or physical condition, may be reported to a consultant operating an impaired practitioner program as described in s. 456.076 rather than to the department.
(m) Gross or repeated malpractice.
(n) Practicing with a revoked, suspended, inactive, or delinquent license.
(o) Being unable to practice optometry with reasonable skill and safety to patients by reason of illness or use of alcohol, drugs, narcotics, chemicals, or any other type of material or as a result of any mental or physical condition. A licensed practitioner affected under this paragraph shall at reasonable intervals be afforded an opportunity to demonstrate that she or he can resume the competent practice of optometry with reasonable skill and safety to patients.
(p) Having been disciplined by a regulatory agency in another state for any offense that would constitute a violation of Florida laws or rules regulating optometry.
(q) Violating any provision of s. 463.014 or s. 463.015.
(r) Violating any lawful order of the board or department, previously entered in a disciplinary hearing, or failing to comply with a lawfully issued subpoena of the board or department.
(s) Practicing or offering to practice beyond the scope permitted by law or accepting and performing professional responsibilities which the licensed practitioner knows or has reason to know she or he is not competent to perform.
(t) Violating any provision of this chapter or chapter 456, or any rules adopted pursuant thereto.
(2) The board may enter an order imposing any of the penalties in s. 456.072(2) against any licensee who is found guilty of violating any provision of subsection (1) of this section or who is found guilty of violating any provision of s. 456.072(1).
(3) The board shall not reinstate the license of a person, or cause a license to be issued to a person it has deemed unqualified, until such time as it is satisfied that she or he has complied with all the terms and conditions set forth in the final order and that such person is capable of safely engaging in the practice of optometry.
History.—ss. 1, 6, ch. 79-194; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 17, 20, 21, ch. 86-289; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 5, ch. 92-178; s. 175, ch. 94-119; s. 238, ch. 97-103; s. 65, ch. 98-166; s. 122, ch. 2000-160; s. 30, ch. 2001-277; s. 76, ch. 2002-1; s. 8, ch. 2005-240; s. 13, ch. 2017-41.