SECTION 1. Subsection (c) of section 2A of said chapter 12C, as so appearing,  is hereby amended by striking out clause (4) and inserting in place thereof the following clause:-

(4) develop annual research and analysis priorities for the center; provided however, that the council shall not require approval of the center’s actions pursuant to section 16, section 38C and 38D of chapter 3 or section 17 of chapter 176A.

SECTION 2. Said section 1 of said chapter 94C is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 308, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, the words “and 66B” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- , 66B and 66C.

SECTION 3. The definition of “Practitioner” in said section 1 of said chapter 94C, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following 3 clauses:-

(d) a nurse practitioner registered pursuant to subsection (f) of section 7 and authorized by section 80E of chapter 112 to distribute, dispense, conduct research with respect to or use in teaching or chemical analysis a controlled substance in the course of professional practice or research in the commonwealth.

(e) a nurse anesthetist registered pursuant to subsection (f) of section 7 and authorized by section 80H of chapter 112 to distribute, dispense, conduct research with respect to or use in teaching or chemical analysis a controlled substance in the course of professional practice or research in the commonwealth.

(f) a psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist registered pursuant to subsection (f) of section 7 and authorized by section 80J of chapter 112 to distribute, dispense, conduct research with respect to or use in teaching or chemical analysis a controlled substance in the course of professional practice or research in the commonwealth.

SECTION 4. Section 7 of said chapter 94C is hereby amended by inserting after the word “nurse”, in line 80, the second time it appears, as so appearing, the following words:- , a licensed dental therapist under the supervision of a practitioner for the purposes of administering analgesics, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics.

SECTION 5. Said section 7 of said chapter 94C is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “podiatrist”, in line 122, and in lines 125 and 126, each time it appears, as so appearing, the following words:- , nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist.

SECTION 6.  Subsection (g) of said section 7 of said chapter 94C, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the second paragraph.

SECTION 7. Said subsection (g) of said section 7 of said chapter 94C, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the last paragraph. 

SECTION 8. Said section 7 of said chapter 94C is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 213, as so appearing, the words “and 66B” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- , 66B and 66C.

SECTION 9. Section 9 of said chapter 94C, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “podiatrist”, in line 1, the following words:- , nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist.

SECTION 10. Said section 9 of said chapter 94C, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 2, the words “and 66B” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- , 66B and 66C.

SECTION 11. Said section 9 of said chapter 94C, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 3 to 5, inclusive, the words “, nurse practitioner and psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist as limited by subsection (g) of said section 7 and section 80E of said chapter 112”.

SECTION 12. Said section 9 of said chapter 94C, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 8 and 9, the words “, nurse anesthetist, as limited by subsection (g) of said section 7 and section 80H of said chapter 112”.

SECTION 13. Subsection (a) of said section 9 of said chapter 94C, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

A practitioner may cause controlled substances to be administered under the practitioner’s direction by a licensed dental therapist, for the purposes of administering analgesics, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics.

SECTION 14. Said section 9 of said chapter 94C, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “nurse-midwifery”, in line 32, the following words:- , advanced practice nursing.

SECTION 15. Said section 9 of said chapter 94C, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “podiatrist”, in lines 72 and 80, each time it appears, the following word:- , optometrist.

SECTION 16. Subsection (c) of said section 9 of said chapter 94C, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

A licensed dental therapist who has obtained a controlled substance from a practitioner for dispensing to an ultimate user under subsection (a) shall return any unused portion of the substance that is no longer required by the patient to the practitioner.

SECTION 17. Said section 9 of said chapter 94C, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “practitioner”, in lines 100 and 107, each time it appears, the following words:- , nurse anesthetist, psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist.

SECTION 18. Section 18 of said chapter 94C is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 10, 39 and 72, as so appearing, the words “to practice medicine” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following words:- and authorized to engage in prescriptive practice.

SECTION 19. Said section 18 of said chapter 94C, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the word “physician”, in lines 25, 38, 72 and 74, and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- practitioner.

SECTION 20. Said section 18 of said chapter 94C, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 27, 54 and 55, and in line 88, the word “medicine”.

SECTION 21. Said chapter 112 is hereby further amended by striking out section 13, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 13. (a) As used in this chapter, “podiatry” shall mean the diagnosis and treatment, by medical, mechanical, electrical or surgical means, of ailments of the human foot and lower leg. 

(b) As used in sections 12B, 12G and 80B, “physician” shall include a podiatrist registered under section 16.

(c) Sections 13 to 18, inclusive, shall not apply to surgeons of the United States army, United States navy or of the United States Public Health Service or to physicians registered in the commonwealth.

SECTION 22. Said chapter 112 is hereby further amended by striking out section 66, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 66. As used in this chapter, “practice of optometry” shall mean the diagnosis, prevention, correction, management or treatment of optical deficiencies, optical deformities, visual anomalies, muscular anomalies, ocular diseases and ocular abnormalities of the human eye and adjacent tissue, including removal of superficial foreign bodies and misaligned eyelashes, by utilization of pharmaceutical agents, by the prescription, adaptation and application of ophthalmic lenses, devices containing lenses, prisms, contact lenses, orthoptics, vision therapy, prosthetic devices and other optical aids and the utilization of corrective procedures to preserve, restore or improve vision, consistent with sections 66A, 66B and 66C.

SECTION 23.  Section 66B of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 31, the following words:- , except glaucoma.

SECTION 24.  Said chapter 112 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 66B the following section:-

Section 66C. (a) A registered optometrist who is qualified by an examination for practice under section 68, certified under section 68C and registered to issue written prescriptions pursuant to subsection (h) of section 7 of chapter 94C, may: (i) use and prescribe topical and oral therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, as defined in section 66B, that are used in the practice of optometry, including those placed in schedules III, IV, V and VI pursuant to section 2 of said chapter 94C, for the purpose of diagnosing, preventing, correcting, managing or treating glaucoma and other ocular abnormalities of the human eye and adjacent tissue; and (ii) prescribe all necessary eye-related medications, including oral anti-infective medications; provided, however, that a registered optometrist shall not use or prescribe: (1) therapeutic pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of systemic diseases; (2) invasive surgical procedures; (3) pharmaceutical agents administered by subdermal injection, intramuscular injection, intravenous injection, subcutaneous injection, intraocular injection or retrobulbar injection; or (4) an opioid substance or drug product.

(b) If an optometrist, while examining or treating a patient with the aid of a diagnostic or therapeutic pharmaceutical agent and exercising professional judgment and the degree of expertise, care and knowledge ordinarily possessed and exercised by optometrists under like circumstances, encounters a sign of a previously unevaluated disease that would require treatment not included in the scope of the practice of optometry, the optometrist shall refer the patient to a licensed physician or other qualified health care practitioner.

(c) If an optometrist diagnoses a patient with congenital glaucoma or if, during the course of examining, managing or treating a patient with glaucoma, the optometrist determines that surgical treatment is indicated, the optometrist shall refer the patient to a qualified health care provider for treatment.

(d) An optometrist licensed under this chapter shall participate in any relevant state or federal report or data collection effort relative to patient safety and medical error reduction coordinated by the Betsy Lehman center for patient safety and medical error reduction established in section 15 of chapter 12C.

SECTION 24.  Said chapter 112 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 68B the following section:-

Section 68C. (a)  The board of registration in optometry shall administer an examination to permit the use and prescription of therapeutic pharmaceutical agents as authorized in section 66C.  The examination shall: (i) be held in conjunction with examinations provided for in sections 68, 68A and 68B; and (ii) include any portion of the examination administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry or other appropriate examination covering the subject matter of therapeutic pharmaceutical agents as authorized in said section 66C.  The board may administer a single examination to measure the qualifications necessary under said sections 68, 68A, 68B and this section.  The board shall qualify optometrists to use and prescribe therapeutic pharmaceutical agents in accordance with said sections 68, 68A, 68B and this section. 

(b) Examination for the use and prescription of therapeutic pharmaceutical agents placed in schedules III, IV, V and VI under section 2 of chapter 94C and defined in section 66C shall, upon application, be open to an optometrist registered under section 68, 68A or 68B and to any person who meets the qualifications for examination under said sections 68, 68A and 68B.  An applicant registered as an optometrist under said section 68, 68A or 68B shall: (i) be registered pursuant to paragraph (h) of section 7 to use or prescribe pharmaceutical agents for the purpose of diagnosing or treating glaucoma and other ocular abnormalities of the human eye and adjacent tissue; and (ii) furnish to the board of registration in optometry evidence of the satisfactory completion of 40 hours of didactic education and 20 hours of supervised clinical education relating to the use and prescription of therapeutic pharmaceutical agents under section 66C; provided, however, that such education shall: (1) be administered by the Massachusetts Society of Optometrists, Inc.; (2) be accredited by a college of optometry or medicine; and (3) meet the guidelines and requirements of the board of registration in optometry.  The board of registration in optometry shall provide to each successful applicant a certificate of qualification in the use and prescription of all therapeutic pharmaceutical agents as authorized under said section 66C and shall forward to the department of public health notice of such certification for each successful applicant.

(c) An optometrist licensed in another jurisdiction shall be deemed an applicant under this section by the board of registration in optometry. An optometrist licensed in another jurisdiction may submit evidence to the board of registration in optometry of practice equivalent to that required in section 68, 68A or 68B and the board, in its discretion, may accept the evidence in order to satisfy any of the requirements of this section. An optometrist in another jurisdiction licensed to utilize and prescribe therapeutic pharmaceutical agents for treating glaucoma and other ocular abnormalities of the human eye and adjacent tissue may submit evidence to the board of registration in optometry of equivalent didactic and supervised clinical education, and the board, in its discretion, may accept the evidence in order to satisfy any of the requirements of this section.

(d) A licensed optometrist who has completed a postgraduate residency program approved by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association may submit an affidavit to the board of registration in optometry from the licensed optometrist’s residency supervisor or the director of residencies at the affiliated college of optometry attesting that the optometrist has completed an equivalent level of instruction and supervision and the board, in its discretion, may accept the evidence in order to satisfy any of the requirements of this section.

(e) As a condition of license renewal, an optometrist licensed under this section shall submit to the board of registration in optometry evidence attesting to the completion of 3 hours of continuing education specific to glaucoma and the board, in its discretion, may accept the evidence to satisfy this condition for license renewal.

SECTION 25. Section 80B of said chapter 112, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “practitioners”, in line 12, the following words:- , nurse anesthetists.

SECTION 26. Said section 80B of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the seventh paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

The board shall promulgate advanced practice nursing regulations which govern the provision of advanced practice nursing services and related care including, but not limited to, the ordering and interpreting of tests, the ordering and evaluation of treatment and the use of therapeutics.

SECTION 27. Said section 80B of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 64 and 65, the words “in the ordering of tests, therapeutics and the prescribing of medications, to” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- to.

SECTION 28. Said chapter 112 is hereby further amended by striking out section 80E, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 80E. (a) A nurse practitioner or psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist may issue written prescriptions and medication orders and order tests and therapeutics pursuant to guidelines mutually developed and agreed upon by the nurse and either a supervising nurse practitioner or psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist who has independent practice authority or a supervising physician, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the board. A prescription issued by a nurse practitioner or psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist under this subsection shall include the name of the nurse practitioner or the psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist who has independent practice authority or the supervising physician with whom the nurse practitioner or psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist developed and signed mutually agreed upon guidelines.

A nurse practitioner or psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist shall have independent practice authority to issue written prescriptions and medication orders and order tests and therapeutics without the supervision described in this subsection if the nurse practitioner or psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist has completed not less than 2 years of supervised practice following certification from a board-recognized certifying body; provided, however, that  supervision of clinical practice shall be conducted by a health care professional who meets minimum qualification criteria promulgated by the board, which shall include a minimum number of years of independent practice authority.

The board may allow a nurse practitioner or psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist to exercise such independent practice authority upon satisfactory demonstration of not less than 2 years of alternative professional experience; provided, however, that the board determines that the nurse practitioner or psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist has a demonstrated record of safe prescribing and good conduct consistent with professional licensure obligations required by each jurisdiction in which the nurse practitioner or psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist has been licensed.

(b) The board shall promulgate regulations to implement this section.

SECTION 29. Said chapter 112 is hereby further amended by striking out section 80H, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 80H. (a) A nurse anesthetist may issue written prescriptions and medication orders and order tests and therapeutics pursuant to guidelines mutually developed and agreed upon by the nurse and either a supervising nurse anesthetist with independent practice authority or a supervising physician, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the board; provided, however, that supervision under this section by a nurse anesthetist with independent practice authority or by a physician shall be limited to written prescriptions and medication orders and the ordering of tests and therapeutics. A prescription issued by a nurse anesthetist under this subsection shall include the name of the nurse anesthetist with independent practice authority or the supervising physician with whom the nurse anesthetist developed and signed mutually agreed upon guidelines. Nothing in this section shall require a nurse anesthetist to obtain prescriptive authority to deliver anesthesia care, including the proper administration of the drugs or medicine necessary for the delivery of anesthesia care.

A nurse anesthetist shall have independent practice authority to issue written prescriptions and medication orders and order tests and therapeutics without the supervision described in this subsection if the nurse anesthetist has completed not less than 2 years of supervised practice following certification from a board-recognized certifying body; provided, however, that supervision of practice shall be conducted by a health care professional who meets minimum qualification criteria promulgated by the board which shall include a minimum number of years of independent practice experience. 

The board, in its discretion, may allow a nurse anesthetist to exercise such independent practice authority upon satisfactory demonstration of alternative professional experience if the board determines that the nurse anesthetist has a demonstrated record of safe prescribing and good conduct consistent with professional licensure obligations required by each jurisdiction in which the nurse anesthetist has been licensed.

(b) The board shall promulgate regulations to implement this section.