--- title: SB 140. Optometrists; doctors of optometry to dispense and sell pharmaceutical agents to patients under certain conditions; provide collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sb140 cite_as: SB 140, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb140 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb140.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb140/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70106 date: 2025-05-13 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb139.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb141.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 1380 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb140.md?full=1 bill_number: SB 140 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-05-13 last_action: Effective Date 2025-05-13 sponsors: - Greg Dolezal - Matt Brass - Ed Harbison - Shawn Still - Billy Hickman - Nan Orrock - Matthew Gambill text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB140/2025 upstream_id: 1964582 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - optometry - eye care - pharmacy regulation - medical licensing - prescription drugs --- # SB 140. Optometrists; doctors of optometry to dispense and sell pharmaceutical agents to patients under certain conditions; provide ## Text 25 LC 52 0836S Senate Bill 140 By: Senators Dolezal of the 27th, Brass of the 6th, Harbison of the 15th, Still of the 48th, Hickman of the 4th and others AS PASSED A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 4 of Title 26 and Chapter 30 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia1 Annotated, relating to pharmacists and pharmacies and optometrists, respectively, so as to2 provide for doctors of optometry to dispense and sell pharmaceutical agents to patients under3 certain conditions; to provide for a definition; to provide for compliance with certain rules4 and regulations of the State Board of Pharmacy; to provide for related matters; to provide for5 an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7 SECTION 1.8 Chapter 4 of Title 26 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to pharmacists and9 pharmacies, is amended by revising paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of Code10 Section 26-4-130, relating to dispensing drugs, compliance with labeling and packaging11 requirements, records available for inspection by board, and renewal of licenses, as follows:12 "(2) 'Practitioner' or 'practitioner of the healing arts' means , notwithstanding Code13 Section 26-4-5, a person licensed as a dentist, optometrist, physician, podiatrist, or14 veterinarian under Chapter 11, 30, 34, 35, or 50, respectively, of Title 43." 15 S. B. 140 - 1 - 25 LC 52 0836S SECTION 2.16 Chapter 30 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to optometrists,17 is amended by revising subparagraph (H) of paragraph (2) of Code Section 43-30-1, relating18 to definitions, as follows:19 "(H)(i) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to allow a A doctor of optometry20 to shall be authorized to dispense and sell pharmaceutical agents, other than21 controlled substances, that are related to the treatment of diseases and conditions of22 the eye and adnexa oculi and are for a legitimate medical purpo se to patients,23 provided that a doctor of optometry shall:24 (I) Be on the premises when any pharmaceutical agent is dispensed to a patient and25 be actively involved in the dispensing process;26 (II) Inform the patient on the appropriate use of the pharmace utical agent being27 dispensed;28 (III) Document in the patient's record the name, strength, quantity, and appropriate29 use of the pharmaceutical agent dispensed;30 (IV) Maintain a readily retrievable record system by manual or electronic means31 of all the pharmaceutical agents purchased for administration, dispensing, or selling32 in the course of the professional practice; and33 (V) Comply with the requirements under Code Section 26-4-130 and the rules and34 regulations established pursuant thereto by the State Board of Pharmacy.35 (ii) Nothing in this subparagraph shall expand the administrat ive or prescriptive36 authority of a doctor of optometry."37 SECTION 3.38 Said chapter is further amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 43-30-13, relating39 to construction of chapter, as follows:40 S. B. 140 - 2 - 25 LC 52 0836S "(a) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to apply to phy sicians and surgeons duly41 licensed to practice medicine, nor; to prevent persons from selling spectacles or eyeglasses42 on prescription from any duly qualified optometrist or physician, nor; to prevent any person43 from selling glasses as articles of merchandise or from using test cards in connection with44 the sale of such glasses at a permanently located place when not trafficking or attempting45 to traffic upon assumed skill in optometry; nor shall anything in this chapter be construed46 or to authorize any registered optometrist to use, dispense, sell , prescribe, or administer47 drugs except as permitted by law or , to practice medicine or surgery in any manner as48 defined by the laws of this state; nor shall this chapter be construed to authorize any such49 person , o r to use the title of 'M.D.' or any other title mentioned in Cod e50 Section 43-34-21 or 43-34-22."51 SECTION 4.52 This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law53 without such approval.54 SECTION 5.55 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.56 S. B. 140 - 3 - ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary. Senate Bill 140 lets Georgia optometrists dispense and sell certain non-controlled eye medications directly to patients in their offices, under new recordkeeping and pharmacy board rules. ### Plain-language summary Under current Georgia law, optometrists have been barred from dispensing or selling pharmaceutical agents to patients, even drugs related to eye care. Senate Bill 140 changes that by amending Georgia's optometry law (O.C.G.A. § 43-30-1) and pharmacy law (O.C.G.A. § 26-4-130). The bill authorizes a doctor of optometry to dispense and sell pharmaceutical agents, other than controlled substances, that treat diseases and conditions of the eye and surrounding tissue, as long as the optometrist is on the premises and actively involved, informs the patient how to use the medication, documents the details in the patient's record, keeps retrievable purchase records, and follows State Board of Pharmacy rules. The bill also adds optometrists to the legal definition of a 'practitioner' who can work with pharmacists under Georgia's pharmacy code. It does not expand optometrists' authority to prescribe or administer drugs beyond what the law already allows, and it takes effect as soon as the Governor signs it or it otherwise becomes law. ### What it does - Authorizes doctors of optometry to dispense and sell pharmaceutical agents, other than controlled substances, for treating eye diseases and conditions. - Requires the optometrist to be physically present and actively involved whenever a pharmaceutical agent is dispensed to a patient. - Requires the optometrist to document the name, strength, quantity, and appropriate use of each dispensed drug in the patient's record. - Requires optometrists to keep a retrievable record, manual or electronic, of all pharmaceutical agents purchased for dispensing or sale. - Adds optometrists to the legal definition of 'practitioner' under Georgia's pharmacy law (O.C.G.A. § 26-4-130), letting them interact with pharmacy rules that apply to other licensed prescribers. - Clarifies that the change does not expand an optometrist's authority to prescribe or administer drugs beyond current law. ### Who it affects Doctors of optometry and their patients are directly affected, along with the State Board of Pharmacy, which sets the rules optometrists must follow when dispensing drugs. Pharmacists and other licensed practitioners covered by Georgia's pharmacy law are also touched because the definition of 'practitioner' changes. ### Why it matters Patients could get certain eye medications directly from their optometrist's office instead of filling a separate prescription at a pharmacy, potentially speeding up treatment for eye conditions. Optometrists would take on new recordkeeping and compliance duties tied to selling those drugs. ### Key provisions - Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 26-4-130 to add optometrists to the definition of 'practitioner of the healing arts' under the pharmacy code. - Section 2 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 43-30-1(2)(H) so that, instead of barring dispensing, it authorizes optometrists to dispense and sell non-controlled pharmaceutical agents tied to eye treatment. - Section 2 lists five conditions optometrists must meet: being present and involved, informing the patient, documenting the drug in the record, keeping purchase records, and complying with State Board of Pharmacy rules. - Section 2 states the change does not expand an optometrist's administrative or prescriptive authority. - Section 3 revises the construction clause in O.C.G.A. § 43-30-13(a), which addresses how the optometry chapter interacts with other drug and medical practice laws. - Section 4 sets the effective date as the date the Governor signs the bill or it otherwise becomes law without a signature. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-05-13) - Last action: Effective Date 2025-05-13 (2025-05-13) - Sponsors: Greg Dolezal, Matt Brass, Ed Harbison, Shawn Still, Billy Hickman, Nan Orrock, Matthew Gambill - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70106 > The history, votes, and amendments (1,380 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb140.md?full=1