Legislative Update

Your Hornet’s Nest is hard at work advocating for your practice and your patients.

Our success depends on making new friends in the legislature this primary season. Now is the time to reach out to your Senator and Representative to help in their campaign.

Our very own Dr. Mark Shirey will be running for re-election and needs our help! Rep. Shirey has been a huge supporter of scope expansion and also introduced the bill to remove sales tax from ophthalmic goods. To donate to his campaign, click HERE

In contested races or open seats, please reach out to our Executive Director Dr. Sam Pierce for guidance. As always, personal checks delivered at a fundraiser or over coffee are the most effective. Any amount is appreciated; we suggest $250 to $500 per Representative and $500 to $1,000 per Senator.

Our ALOPAC needs your support with monthly contributions. You can make a contribution HERE

On a National Level, AOA on Capitol Hill (Sept. 29- 30) will be advocating against VBM abuses and the Doc Access Act. The AOA is raising money for two optometry champions at this event: Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) running for Senate, Optometry Specific Link to donate https://secure.anedot.com/buddycarter/6a6c3fe7-b790-4894-8450-fa38debfc5d3 and Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) for Senate, Optometry Specific link to donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/20250929aoa

To help us at the national level please donate monthly to our AOA- Pac. One of the very easiest ways for members to give right now is through our text to donate platform GiveSmart. All you need to do is text the word EYES to 41444 from your cell phone and follow the prompts.

I look forward to seeing everyone at our ALOA Fall Conference!

Lasers in ‘27,

Howard R. Day, OD

Hornet’s Nest

ALOA Government Relations

Alabama CE Requirement Changing

CE requirements revert to pre-COVID pandemic rules after this (10/1/2025 - 12/31/2025) renewal period. For the license renewal period 10/1/2026 - 12/31/2026, asynchronous (not live/not interactive) and synchronous (live/interactive ) CE is limited to three hours per year. See below for the continuing education requirements for the next renewal period.

Administrative Code 630-X-7.

Alabama optometrists holding therapeutic licenses must obtain twenty (20) approved hours of continuing education annually. At least half of these hours must relate to diagnosis, treatment, and management of eye disease.

Alabama optometrists not holding therapeutic licensure must obtain fourteen (14) hours of approved continuing education annually.

For all Alabama licensed optometrists, up to three (3) hours may be devoted to approved practice management courses. Three (3) hours of "distance-based" (internet, teleconference, etc.) education may be obtained annually to meet continuing education requirements. 

Required CE hours should be attended between October 1 and September 30 (Alabama's fiscal year). 

You may not renew your license until you've completed all required CE hours.  If you have not completed the required number of CE hours by September 30, you must complete them during the re-licensure period (October 1 through December 31). After completing the required number of CE hours, additional CE hours obtained during the re-licensure period may be counted toward the following year's re-licensure.

All licensees are required to keep a personal record of courses attended including the dates of attendance, the name of the course, the name of the sponsor, and the clock hours attended.

When renewing your license to practice optometry in Alabama, you must certify that all continuing education hours required by the board have been completed. Continuing education hours can be audited, and failure to show proof of completion of the continuing education requirement can result in severe penalties, including license suspension.

The Alabama Board of Optometry approves and accepts continuing education courses approved, sponsored or offered by:  

COPE (Council in Optometric Practitioner Education)

American Optometric Association

Alabama Optometric Association and other state optometric associations

Postgraduate courses offered by accredited schools and colleges of optometry

Southern Council of Optometry

American Academy of Optometry

National Optometric Association

All other continuing education courses must be submitted for approval. If desired, you may print and use this downloadable form (in .pdf format) for your CE approval request.

THANK YOU TO OUR AUGUST ALOPAC CONTRIBUTORS!

Lauren Albert, O.D.

Tim Ansley, O.D.

Jodi Baker, O.D.

Paul Batson, O.D.

James Bedsole, O.D.

Charles Bell, O.D.

John Bender, O.D.

Bryan Boozer, O.D.

Spencer Boozer, O.D.

Jessica Boyd, O.D.

Gussie Branch, O.D.

David Britton, O.D.

Jeremy Campbell, O.D.

Mason Childers, O.D.

Giselle Childers, O.D.

Raymond Cobb, O.D.

Jacquelyn Collins, O.D.

James Crockett, O.D.

Melissa Curl, O.D.

Howard Day, O.D.

Sharon Day, O.D.

Stephen Downey, O.D.

Joshua Driver, O.D.

Kimberly Dunagan, O.D.

George Eischens, O.D.

Robert Ellis, O.D.

Gary Collins Few, O.D.

Patricia Fulmer, O.D.

Caleb Gardner, O.D.

Theresa Glass, O.D.

Adam Gordon, O.D.

Michael Griffin, O.D.

Lynn Hammonds, O.D.

Harold Harrison, O.D.

Robert Hayes, O.D.

Amy Herrington, O.D.

Thomas Hicks, O.D.

Christi Hill, O.D.

Jeffrey Hill, O.D.

Bryan Holman, O.D.

John Hornsby, O.D.

Neena James, O.D.

Norman Johnson, O.D.

Sheila Kirk, O.D.

Michael Kwarcinski, O.D.

Melanie Lawrence, O.D.

Jan Lenz, O.D.

Whitney Lowe, O.D.

Maurice Lyn, O.D.

Robin Lively Marbourg, O.D.

Marston Martin, O.D.

David Mohon, O.D.

Hamp Moore, O.D.

Robert Moore, O.D.

Kathryn Mowrer, O.D.

Paris Mullins, O.D.

Daniel Murray, O.D.

David O'Leary, O.D.

Jessica Palmer, O.D.

Rob Pate, O.D.

Alan Peaslee, O.D.

Samara Perryman, O.D.

Samuel Pierce, O.D.

Patrick Pyron, O.D.

Mazen Naji Sahawneh, O.D.

Abnous Samford, O.D.

Bonnie-Kim Schwertz, O.D.

Mark Shirey, O.D.

Gerald Simon, O.D.

Wayne Stevens, O.D.

Gregory Stewart, O.D.

Lauren Stirling, O.D.

Kristin Sullins, O.D.

Chris Teichmiller, O.D.

Kathryn Thigpen, O.D.

James Tillman, O.D.

Molly Tipton, O.D.

Candice Turner, O.D.

Megan Walker, O.D.

Kennedy Walker, O.D.

Valencia Wells, O.D.

L. Leanne Whitaker, O.D.

Clare Wilder, O.D.

Michael Williams, O.D.

Christopher Yarbrough, O.D.