§34-22-6. Violations; penalties; assistance in prosecutions; costs and attorney fees; venue.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to perform any of the following:

(1) Practice optometry in this state without having a valid, unrevoked, and unexpired license certificate and annual renewal registration certificate as an optometrist.

(2) Use or attempt to use as his or her own a diploma of an optometric school or college or a license of another person, or a forged diploma or license, or any forged or false identification.

(3) Sell or offer to sell a diploma conferring an optometric degree or a license granted pursuant to this chapter or prior optometric practice laws, or to procure each diploma or license with intent that it shall be used as evidence of the right to practice optometry by a person other than the one upon whom it was conferred or to whom the license was granted, or with fraudulent intent to alter the diploma or license or to use or attempt to use it when it is so altered.

(4) Willfully make any false statements in an application for examination for a certificate to practice optometry or for annual renewal registration.

(5) Use or attempt to use pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of the human eye and its adjacent structures without having approval of the board at the time the treatment is rendered.

(b)(1) Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and, in addition, may be imprisoned in the county jail for a period not to exceed 12 months and shall be subject to having his or her license revoked or suspended as provided in this chapter.

(2) The board and its members and officers shall assist prosecuting officers in the enforcement of this chapter, and it shall be the duty of the board, its members, and officers, to furnish the proper prosecuting officers with the evidence as they may ascertain necessary to assist them in the prosecution of any violation of this chapter. The board, may for these purposes, make such reasonable expenditures from the funds of the board as it may deem necessary to ascertain and furnish the evidence.

(3) In addition to criminal penalties, any person violating this section may be fined up to one thousand dollars ($1000) by the board for each violation. The board may sue, if necessary, to collect the fine.

(4) The board is entitled to costs and reasonable attorney fees in any civil action in which it prevails.

(5) Venue for any action brought by the board pursuant to this chapter is the Circuit Court of Montgomery County.

(Acts 1975, No. 1148, p. 2257, §11; Acts 1995, No. 95-218, p. 370, §1.)