Just out of curiosity,
Do any of you know what your respective state optical societies spend annually on lobbying on behalf of opticians? Are there even state optical organizations in each state?
AA
Just out of curiosity,
Do any of you know what your respective state optical societies spend annually on lobbying on behalf of opticians? Are there even state optical organizations in each state?
AA
Are most of you currently members of your state society?
AA
I went back to my society newsletters for 2004 for research and learned that out of the 814 active licensed opticians in TN, over 600 were dues paying members of the TDOA, and participated in several regional and one state conference for CEs and business each year. (I have had the pleasure of learning from many talented, nationally recognized instructors through the classes!) TDOA annual dues of $125.00 pay for newsletters and CE classes held across the state on a regular basis. Active apprentice opticians and current optical students are free from dues and do not earn CEs but may audit the classes if they register.
Only $25 of the dues goes to our Opticians PAC, which funds our lobbyists to support those legislators who support continued licensing. The TDOA regularly solicits donations from opticians and optical businesses who can afford to give more.
Our state licensing board requires 8 (board approved) hours of face to face proctored classes, 4 ABO and 4 NCLE hours, and $200 every 2 years as a licensing fee. In order to be licensed in TN, 2 years of optical school or 3 years of licensed optician monitored apprenticeship (1000+ hours annually, I believe) and dual ABO/NCLE certification, as well as passing a state practical exam and associated fees are required. TN does recognize and reciprocate other states' licensing when those state require ABO/NCLE and educational hours. We have some practising opticians who were licensed before the ABO/NCLE requirements and they are allowed to remain licensed as long as they do the hours each year.
TN opticians have had to struggle to keep our licensing in spite of the fact that our license fees TOTALLY cover the expenses of maintaining the board and records and examining procedures. Our state is not out any money for the consumer protection provided by the licensing rules and standards. Yet there are anti-license interests that continue to snipe and slander, trying to legally sunset (or disband) our state board. Those who do so are trying to reduce their business costs and the professional standing of our opticians without regard to the industry standards which could not otherwise be enforced.
I have been a TDOA member since before I earned licensure at the end of 1999, and I support our PAC.
Now how does that compare with the OD lobbying effort in your state?
I know there is the argument that they make more, so they can spend more, but I find that as a % of yearly income, the ODs are willing to spend more to get more.
The avg LO in CT makes prob 35-40K. Our state association dues are $225.
The avg OD in CT makes prob 70-110K. Their state dues (IF memory serves correct) are closer to $1200-1800.
The Optician Association has a fairly low membership rate.
The Optometric Association has a very high membership rate.
The $/yearly average salary spent on average for each Optician is a fraction of that of the ODs, which is why we are the perennially unwanted stepchild of the 3 Os.
I'm not sure that any state or national Opticians association offers a buying group. I don't think there are enough independent Opticians left to support one...a very sad state of affairs. However, that doesn't mean they don't need our membership and support. Unless we've become so accustomed to being at the bottom of the food chain that we no longer care to look up.
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