LAC 46:LI.109. Employment Restrictions

A. An optometrist, duly licensed under the provisions of the Louisiana Optometry Law as set forth in R.S. 37:1041 et seq. is prohibited from accepting employment as an optometrist from: 1. a corporation other than a professional optometric corporation or professional medical corporation organized pursuant to Title 12 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes and domiciled in the state of Louisiana; 2. a partnership or limited liability company, unless such partnership or limited liability company is domiciled in the state of Louisiana and each partner or member, as the case may be, is: a. an optometrist or physician duly licensed as an optometrist or physician in the state of Louisiana; or b. a professional optometric corporation or professional medical corporation described above in Paragraph A.1 of this Section; or 3. an individual, unless such individual is duly licensed as an optometrist or physician in the state of Louisiana. B. Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph A of Section 109, an optometrist, duly licensed under the provisions of the Louisiana Optometry Law as set forth in R.S. 37:1041 et seq., may accept employment from: 1. a licensed hospital or hospital affiliate; 2. a licensed ambulatory surgical treatment center owned in full or in part by Louisiana-licensed physicians or optometrists; 3. government sponsored healthcare programs or facilities; or 4. the entity is a combination or joint venture of the entities authorized under this §109.A. C. Violation of the provisions of this §109 by an optometrist shall be considered a violation of provisions of R.S. 37:1061, and as such the board may refuse to renew the license of any such optometrist on its annual renewal date of March 1 of each year (R.S. 37:1056) and/or subject such optometrist to suspension or revocation of his or her license to practice optometry upon due notice and hearing as provided in R.S. 37:1062.