NYSOA Legislative Update: Advancing Our Profession Together in 2026

A New Year of Opportunity and Advocacy

 
Every January brings a renewed sense of optimism and excitement as we look forward to the possibilities the new year holds—whether it’s advancing your career, spending quality time with family, or caring for your patients. This spirit of anticipation extends to the legislative efforts of our Association as well. As you may know, the New York State Legislature launches its new session on January 1 st and typically continues through mid-June, offering us a vital window to mobilize and pursue our legislative agenda.

Yet, we recognize that advancing meaningful progress in Albany can often be a gradual and sometimes painstaking process. As practitioners, we are accustomed to addressing challenges promptly—our patients and practices depend on our swift problem-solving abilities. This contrast can make the legislative process, which requires us to reset our strategy each year and invest six months engaging with lawmakers (and another six months reflecting on what went well and what can be improved), feel especially frustrating.

This is precisely where your involvement as a NYSOA member becomes invaluable. Through collaboration—brainstorming, debating, and prioritizing the needs of practicing optometrists; drafting bill language to realize those objectives; building relationships with local legislators to advocate for our patients; and constructively challenging opposition—we can only succeed through dedicated, grassroots participation from members across the state. While engaging with Assemblymembers or Senators may seem daunting, we are committed to making this process more accessible and even enjoyable. To that end, we are implementing innovative online software developed by an optometrist to streamline and simplify doctor-to-legislator communication, helping us build the strong grassroots network required to achieve our ambitious goals.

Legislative Priorities for 2026

Our main priorities for this year include the following critical initiatives:

• Unrestricted Topicals  – This bill would allow optometrists to use any topical agents for diagnosing and treating patients’ eye conditions as soon as those agents receive FDA approval.
• Lab Services Bill (aka Optometry Freedom Act) – This bill would prohibit insurance carriers and vision care plans from restricting sources and suppliers of services or materials, or from directing the use of specific optical labs in the treatment of patients’ eye conditions.
• Title VIII Healthcare Practitioner Partnership Bill – This bill would permit physicians to jointly own healthcare practices with other health and mental health service providers, including optometrists.

Other Key Legislative Efforts

In addition to our primary priorities, we are closely monitoring several other legislative proposals. These include the creation of licensed professions for vision rehabilitation and mobility therapists, measures to restrict the time frame during which insurance plans can claw back paid claims, and requirements for mandatory comprehensive eye examinations for all children entering school as well as for those who fail their screenings.

Please stay tuned for updates on these and other bills we are tracking throughout the year. We will also be offering special training sessions focused on grassroots advocacy as we prepare for our Advocacy Day in May.

A Call for Continued Commitment

The Legislative Committee, under the leadership of the NYSOA Executive Board, is dedicated to working year-round on innovative strategies to advance and promote our profession. It is your commitment and active involvement that enable us to bring these strategies to fruition. We look forward to collaborating and making meaningful progress together!