An act relating to amendments to the scope of practice for optometrists

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ashley Bartley and 46 co-sponsors

H.241 would expand or modify Vermont optometrists' scope of practice, detailing which procedures and treatments they may perform and how they collaborate with other eye care provid

Read first time and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs

Summary of H.241 (2025-2026) — Vermont

Purpose and intent

H.241 is an act focused on amending the scope of practice for optometrists in Vermont.

The bill aims to update and clarify what optometrists may diagnose, treat, and perform in clinical practice, potentially expanding or modifying existing duties within their professional scope.

Key provisions and changes (as described or implied)

The legislation seeks to modify the statutory scope of optometrists, which could include:

Expanding or refining permissible procedures, examinations, or treatments that optometrists are authorized to conduct.
Adjusting requirements for certain diagnostic or therapeutic activities (e.g., use of diagnostic medications, procedures related to ocular health, or management of common eye conditions).
Establishing or clarifying patient management practices, referral obligations, and collaboration with ophthalmologists or other healthcare providers.

The act likely includes specificity around:

Authorized clinical procedures (e.g., certain in-office tests, therapeutic interventions, or pharmacologic management related to eye care).
Training or credentialing requirements needed to perform expanded duties.
Safeguards to protect patient safety and ensure appropriate supervision or oversight where applicable.

Note: The available materials do not provide the full text, so the exact procedures, medications, and limits are not enumerated here. The summary reflects typical elements of scope-of-practice amendments for optometry from recent years.

Who would be affected

Optometrists practicing in Vermont, whose professional responsibilities and allowed practices may change under the bill.

Patients receiving eye care from optometrists, who could experience changes in access to certain in-office services, treatments, or diagnostic options.

Other eye care professionals (e.g., ophthalmologists, primary care providers) who coordinate care with optometrists, due to any changes in referral pathways or collaborative practice requirements.

Professional regulatory bodies and insurers/payers, which would need to align credentialing, billing codes, and reimbursement with any expanded or revised scope.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduced and assigned: H.241 was introduced and referred to the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs.

First-time action: Read the bill for the first time on February 18, 2025.

Next steps: The committee would hold hearings and possibly amend the bill before potentially advancing to a full chamber vote. Any enacted version would then move through the Senate and to the governor for signature (subject to Vermont’s legislative process).

Current status: As of the provided information, no committee meetings are listed, and no final passage date is available.

Additional context

The bill has multiple sponsors and co-sponsors from a broad set of representatives, indicating bipartisan interest in reassessing optometry scope-of-practice within the state.

The bill’s impact would hinge on the exact language regarding which procedures are newly permitted or modified, including any required training, patient safety protections, and collaboration requirements with other eye care professionals.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to a particular audience (e.g., policymakers, clinicians, patients) or incorporate any available floor or committee testimony once the full bill text and hearing records are released.