It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows :

SECTION 1. Section 5-35-24 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-35 entitled "Optometrists" is hereby amended to read as follows:

{DEL 5-35-24. Qualifications of opticians. -- DEL} {ADD 5-35-24. Qualifications of optician applicants. -- ADD} {DEL Every applicant for examination shall present satisfactory evidence in the form of affidavits properly sworn to, that he is over eighteen (18) years of age, of good moral character, that he has had a preliminary education satisfactory to the division of professional regulation, and that he has served a term of apprenticeship of not less than one (1) year with a duly registered optometrist or with a duly registered optician. DEL}

{ADD (a) Every applicant for licensure shall present satisfactory evidence in the form of affidavits properly sworn to that he or she:

(1) is over eighteen (18) years of age;

(2) is of good moral character;

(3) has successfully graduated from a high school of a standard approved by the department of education in the state in which the applicant graduated or hold a statement of high school equivalency certified and issued by the department of education in the state in which the applicant obtained the equivalency certificate;

(4) has graduated from a two (2) year school of opticianary approved by the division;

(5) has successfully completed one (1) year of postgraduate internship with a duly registered optometrist or optician;

(6) has successfully passed a written examination such as the national opticianary competency examination or such other written examination as approved by the division and the advisory committee;

(7) has successfully passed a practical examination as determined and administered by the advisory committee for opticianary.

(b) Anyone enrolled in an apprenticeship program prior to January 1, 1995 shall be exempt from the provisions of this section. ADD}

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.