CONNECTICUT OPTICIANS ASSOCIATION
IN REVIEW:
In January 2021, the COA became aware of a proposal that Warby Parker had hoped to present to the Public Health Committee of the State legislature. Having, “found it challenging to find licensed opticians to staff our two stores” Warby Parker was seeking a change to the educational and training requirements for licensing. They also hoped to create a two-tier license, separating eyewear from contact lenses, the latter becoming an optional license. Members of the COA Legislative Committee met several times with company representatives and lobbyists of Warby Parker during the legislative session. The 2021 legislative session ended in June without a formal proposal being presented to the Public Health Committee.
See: COA NEWS
LEGISLATION 2022:
In mid-December, 2021, lobbyists from Warby-Parker contacted the COA inviting us to meet with their clients and members of the Public Health Committee to continue the discussion on their previous year’s proposal. Members of the COA Board of Directors and our lobbyists from Capitol Consulting, LLC, met with Rep. Johnathan Steinberg (D-136, Westport) who was serving as House Chair of the Legislature’s Public Health Committee. Reluctantly, after several meetings, along with other interested parties, SB 329 - AN ACT CONCERNING THE RETAIL OPERATION OF OPTICAL ESTABLISHMENTS, OFFICES AND STORES was scheduled for a public hearing before the Public Health Committee.
Although passed by the committee, the proposal did not make it as a stand-alone bill. However, after strong intervention from the Governor’s office, and additional negotiations between the COA and Warby Parker, compromise language was included in the Budget Implementer bill,
Bill 5506, a 673-page document that makes adjustments to the biennial budget approved in 2021.
SUMMARY:
Our new statutory language is addressed in section 230, on page 354. Effective October 1, 2022,
CGS, Chpt. 381, Sec.20-150, Where Optical Goods May be Sold, has been amended.
Follow this link to the updated language.
A detailed summary of the 2022 legislative session was prepared by our lobbyists, Anita Schepker, Esq. and Liz Connelly from Capitol Consulting, LLC. Please follow their report on our legislation which begins on page 2
The COA appreciates all the hard work and input from our lobbyists
from Capitol Consulting who spent innumerable hours working on this bill
and meeting with members of the COA Board.
ONLY THE COA LOBBYISTS WITH INPUT FROM THE BOARD
WERE ASKED TO WORK WITH WARBY PARKER TO FORGE THE FINAL COMPROMISE LANGUAGE