Public Act 102-0788
 
HB4929 EnrolledLRB102 25768 AMQ 35098 b


  
    AN ACT concerning regulation.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  


 
 
    Section 5. The Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 is 
amended  by adding Section 31 as follows:
 
    (225 ILCS 80/31 new)
    Sec. 31. Administration of vaccines.
    (a)  A licensed optometrist may independently administer 
the COVID-19 vaccine upon the completion of appropriate 
training, as described in subsection (c). Vaccinations for 
COVID-19 shall be limited to patients 17 years of age and 
older.
    (b)   The optometrist shall administer the COVID-19 vaccine 
and must not delegate the administration to an assistant or 
any other person.   Vaccination of a patient by an optometrist 
shall be documented in the patient's record and shall include:
        (1)  the vaccine administered;
        (2)   the site of injection of the vaccine;
        (3)   the name, dose, manufacturer, lot number, and 
    beyond-use date of the vaccine;
        (4)  the name and address of the patient's primary 
    health care provider named by the patient;
        (5)  a notation that the patient was presented with the 
    appropriate vaccine information statement (VIS) prior to 
    the administration of each vaccine; and
        (6)   any adverse events that followed the vaccination.
    (c)   In order to initiate and administer an immunization 
described in subsection (b), an optometrist must:
        (1)   at a minimum, complete 4 hours of education in: 
    (i) an immunization training program endorsed by the 
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; (ii) the 
    injections course approved by the National Board of 
    Examiners in Optometry; or (iii) a course approved by the 
    Department that provides equivalent training provided by 
    an approved Continuing Education Sponsor. The training 
    must include, at a minimum, hands-on injection technique, 
    proper vaccine storage, clinic evaluation of indications 
    and contraindications of vaccines, and the recognition and 
    treatment of emergency reactions to vaccines, and  the 
    optometrist shall maintain that training;
        (2)   be certified in basic life support; and
        (3)   comply with all State and federal recordkeeping 
    and reporting requirements, including providing 
    documentation to the patient's primary care provider 
    within 30 days of administering the vaccine and entering 
    all patient level data on vaccines administered in the 
    immunization data registry (I-Care) maintained by the 
    Department of Public Health.
    The Department, in its discretion, may exempt an 
optometrist from the requirements of this subsection if the 
optometrist has completed the training required under a 
proclamation issued by the Secretary on March 24, 2021 to 
authorize licensed optometrists to administer COVID-19 
vaccines. An optometrist who is granted an exemption from the 
Department is required to maintain the training required by 
this subsection. 
    (d)   An optometrist administering an immunization pursuant 
to this Section may also initiate and administer epinephrine 
or diphenhydramine by injection for the treatment of a severe 
allergic reaction to an immunization.
    (e)   As applicable to the State Medicaid program and other 
payers, a vaccine ordered and administered in accordance with 
this Section shall be covered and reimbursed at no less than 
the rate the vaccine is reimbursed when ordered and 
administered by a physician.
    (f)   The Department may adopt any rules necessary to 
implement this Section.
  
 

    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.