California optometry board approves responses to sunset review; asks legislature to raise fee ceiling and review UC funding

The California State Board of Optometry voted on April 15 to approve the board’s responses to the Joint Sunset Review committees’ background paper, directing staff to finalize and submit the answers to the Legislature with several board‑approved amendments.

In the approved response the board asked the Legislature to increase the statutory ceiling on optometry fees — a change the board said would allow it to adopt regulatory fee adjustments in the future without immediately imposing higher fees on licensees. Board members emphasized they did not at this time plan to increase fees on licensees but want the authority to adjust maximums if future conditions warrant it.

The board also voted to request that legislative committees review the current $16 per renewal remittance to the University of California and consider whether the amount or the arrangement should be reduced or adjusted. Board members said they have begun discussions with UC officials but sought legislative clarification and potential reduction given the board’s staffing and budget pressures.

Other items the board approved in the responses included: supporting a statutory increase to the board’s mandatory reserve cap (from the current six‑month limit toward parity with other DCA programs), recommending the removal or relaxation of the cap on mobile optometric offices, endorsing authority to require email addresses from applicants and licensees for official communications, and asking the Legislature to consider tools and resources to improve enforcement against unregistered or noncompliant optical businesses.

The board also voted to approve several related motions made during the meeting: to ask the Legislature to consider raising citation caps (which have not been updated in 25 years), to request expanded enforcement tools and resources, and to ask that optician probationary registration authority be examined (bringing optician rules in line with optometry where applicable). The board approved the overall packet of responses with a roll‑call vote and authorized staff to make technical edits and submit the package to the legislative committees.

The board also took committee positions on pending bills discussed at the meeting. Notably, it adopted a "neutral unless amended" posture on a bill addressing private‑equity influence in health practices (SB 351), seeking language to include optometry in the bill’s protections; it signaled support for its own sunset bill (SB 776) and said it would continue to monitor related legislation, including teleconferencing extensions and emergency waivers for licensing during declared disasters.

Board Executive Officer Gregory Pruden told members the responses were intended to be candid about the board’s operations and financial position while asking the Legislature for flexibility and additional clarity where needed. The roll calls on the package and on individual motions were recorded as unanimous among members present.

Votes at a glance

- Approve board responses to the Sunset Review background paper and submit to the committees (motion to approve and finalize responses): passed (roll‑call recorded unanimous). - Request Legislature to enact a higher statutory fee ceiling so the board can pursue regulatory fee increases when warranted: passed. - Request Legislature to review the $16 per renewal remittance to the University of California and consider reducing it: passed. - Amend response to ask for additional enforcement tools and resources (including citation authority changes): passed. - Support SB 776 (board’s sunset bill): passed (board supported the bill and authorized EO to work with author).

Board members and staff said they will continue to refine language with legislative staff and stakeholders and will return to the board for significant changes. Staff was authorized to make non‑substantive edits to the responses before submission.