has issued an Order Granting the Petition for Variance or Waiver filed on October 12, 2012, by Tammy Than, MS, OD, FAAO, University of Alabama, School of Optometry. The Notice of Petition for Variance or Waiver was published in Volume 38, No. 51, ...

 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Board of Optometry

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

64B13-5.003Exemption of Spouse of Member of Armed Forces from License Renewal Requirements

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the Board of Optometry has issued an Order Granting the Petition for Variance or Waiver filed on October 12, 2012, by Tammy Than, MS, OD, FAAO, University of Alabama, School of Optometry. The Notice of Petition for Variance or Waiver was published in Volume 38, No. 51, of the October 16, 2012, Florida Administrative Register. The Petitioner sought a one-time Variance or Waiver of paragraph 64B13-5.002(3)(c), Florida Administrative Code in regards to the requirement that a transcript-quality continuing education program be approved by the Board of Optometry as transcript-quality coursework prior to the time the course was taken. This one time waiver/variance is requested for the three courses “Expert consensus in the Management of Ocular Surface Disease: What the New Guidelines Mean to Your Practice,” “New Advances in the Management of Viral Eye Disease,” and “Corneal Conundrums.”, taught by Paul Karpecki which were offered by Petitioner on August 3-5, 2012. The Board considered the Petition at a duly-noticed public meeting held on November 6, 2012.

The Board’s Order, filed on November 20, 2012, grants the Variance or Waiver. The Board determined that the Petition for Variance or Waiver should be approved because Petitioner meets the purpose of the underlying statute, has otherwise shown a financial hardship to those who have already taken the courses, and that application of the rule at issue would violate principles of fairness as defined by Section 120.542, Florida Statutes and Chapter 28-104, Florida Administrative Code.

A copy of the Order may be obtained by contacting: William Miller, Executive Director, Board of Optometry, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin #C07, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3257.