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Referendum attempt against Arkansas OD laser law fails
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Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston rejected signatures in support of a referendum on a recently passed law allowing optometrists in the state to perform certain surgical procedures.
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchison signed HB1251 into law in late March.
“The real winners are Arkansas patients, who will have improved access to eye care under Act 579,” according to Vicki Farmer, chairperson of Arkansans for Healthy Eyes, in a statement provided to Primary Care Optometry News.
Arkansas voters also win, Farmer said, as they, “can be assured with today’s rejection of more than 60,000 invalid signatures that special interest groups won’t be allowed to submit thousands of unlawfully solicited signatures and expect to unwind a duly enacted law in our state.”
Arkansans for Healthy Eyes is a Ballot Question Committee made up of optometric physicians and patients advocating for protection of Act 579 as passed during the 2019 regular session, the group said.
“We applaud the Secretary of State and his staff for their diligence in accurately applying the law and conducting a fair and thorough review,” Farmer said.
The law allows optometrists in the state to perform selective laser trabeculoplasty and Nd:YAG laser procedures, injections (excluding intravenous and intraocular) and removal of lid lesions, and chalazion incision and curettage. – by Nancy Hemphill, ELS, FAAO
Disclosure: Farmer is chairperson of Arkansans for Healthy Eyes.