A contentious dispute within South Dakota’s eye-care community has left a legislative committee deadlocked, resulting in a bill expanding the scope of practice for optometrists advancing to the House without a recommendation.
The legislative committee faced successive 6-6 tie votes, failing both to reject the bill and to provide it with a do-pass recommendation. This decision sets the stage for a heated debate when the bill reaches the House. The lack of a committee recommendation indicates the divisive nature of the proposed changes.
On Friday, Rep. Liz May, R-Kyle, attempted to challenge the bill’s scheduling for debate on Monday. May argued that, given the tie in committee and the absence of a recommendation, the bill should have been deferred, especially when all 13 committee members were present. Despite May’s efforts, her motion failed, hinting at potential challenges during Monday’s debate.
House Bill 1099 has become a focal point of lobbying efforts, with optometrists advocating for its passage and facing opposition from ophthalmologists and their allies, including dermatologists. Typically, optometrists and ophthalmologists collaborate in patient eye care, but in this instance, ophthalmologists assert that their counterparts are encroaching on their professional territory. The bill’s journey to the House is anticipated to trigger a robust discussion on the contested aspects of optometric practice.
