Any licensed dispensing optician may supervise a maximum of three apprentices who shall be permitted to engage in optical dispensing only under the supervision of the licensed dispensing optician.

To serve as an apprentice, a person shall register with the state vision professionals board on a form provided by the board and in the form of a statement giving the name and address of the supervising licensed dispensing optician, the location at which the apprentice will be employed, and any other information required by the board. For the duration of the apprenticeship, the apprentice shall register annually on the form provided by the board and in the form of a statement.

Each apprentice shall pay an initial registration fee of twenty dollars. For each registration renewal thereafter, each apprentice shall pay a registration renewal fee of twenty dollars.

The board shall not deny registration as an apprentice under this section to any individual based on the individual's past criminal history or an interpretation of moral character unless the individual has committed a disqualifying offense or crime of moral turpitude as those terms are defined in section 4776.10 of the Revised Code. Except as otherwise provided in this division, if an individual applying for a registration has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor that is not a crime of moral turpitude or a disqualifying offense less than one year prior to making the application, the board may use its discretion in granting or denying the individual a registration. Except as otherwise provided in this division, if an individual applying for a registration has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a felony that is not a crime of moral turpitude or a disqualifying offense less than three years prior to making the application, the board may use its discretion in granting or denying the individual a registration. The provisions in this paragraph do not apply with respect to any offense unless the board, prior to September 28, 2012, was required or authorized to deny the registration based on that offense.

In all other circumstances, the board shall follow the procedures it adopts by rule that conform to this section. In considering a renewal of an individual's registration, the board shall not consider any conviction or plea of guilty prior to the initial registration. However, the board may consider a conviction or plea of guilty if it occurred after the individual was initially registered, or after the most recent registration renewal. If the board denies an individual for a registration or registration renewal, the reasons for such denial shall be put in writing. Additionally, the board may grant an individual a conditional registration that lasts for one year. After the one-year period has expired, the registration is no longer considered conditional, and the individual shall be considered fully registered.

A person who is gaining experience under the supervision of a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist that would qualify the person under division (B)(1) of section 4725.48 of the Revised Code to take the examination for optical dispensing is not required to register with the board.

Amended by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 420, §1, eff. 4/5/2019.

Amended by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 49, §130.11, eff. 1/21/2018.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.131, SB 337, §1, eff. 9/28/2012.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Effective Date: 04-05-1991 .