Washington State has enacted Senate Bill 6346, signed into law by Governor Bob Ferguson on March 30, 2026. The legislation excludes presentations given by 501(c) nonprofit organizations from the definition of taxable "live presentations," effective July 1, 2026. 

Background
A 2025 law, ESSB 5814, broadly expanded Washington's retail sales tax to cover live educational events, seminars, and interactive workshops, a change that unexpectedly caught many nonprofits and associations under its scope beginning October 1, 2025. From that date through June 30, 2026, nonprofit organizations were required to collect and remit sales tax on these events unless covered by narrow, pre-existing contract rules.

In February, UOA alerted the Opticians Association of Washington and the Pacific Northwest Opticians Alliance to the impact this would have on live continuing education. Taxing educational presentations would have added an unnecessary financial and administrative burden to organizations already working to keep opticians current in their field.

What SB 6346 Changes 

• Sales tax exclusion: Effective July 1, 2026, presentations and educational events provided by federal tax-exempt 501(c) nonprofit organizations are fully excluded from retail sales and use tax. 
  
• Additional carve-outs: The bill also shields K-12 public schools, school districts, and before-and-after school care programs from the service and presentation taxes implemented the prior year. 
  

Why It Matters
"Nonprofit organizations like ours play a vital public-service role in Washington's health-care ecosystem, specifically for our discipline: vision care. The workshops, seminars, continuing education programs, and industry trade shows we provide are not commercial entertainment, they are essential training environments that ensure opticians remain current on safety standards, emerging technologies, and best practices in patient care. These learning opportunities directly influence the quality of vision services that Washington residents receive every day." – Paul Holman, on behalf of the Pacific Northwest Opticians Alliance 

Most opticians pay for their own continuing education. Even a modest increase in cost can put critical training out of reach, and when education becomes harder to afford, patient care is what suffers. UOA agreed that applying retail sales tax to live educational presentations placed an unnecessary burden on professionals working to improve their skills and serve their patients. 

The outpouring of support for SB 6346 across Washington's opticianry community helped move the bill to the governor's desk. As of July 1, 2026, 501(c) nonprofits and K-12 school programs across the state no longer add retail tax to their educational programs. 

Congratulations to Washington's opticianry community on a successful grassroots advocacy effort that protects continuing education and lifelong learning.


See UOA's Advocacy Work

About Pacific Northwest Opticians Alliance (PNOA)
The Pacific Northwest Opticians Alliance is a member-led organization built to advance the opticianry profession across the state. Its all-volunteer board and committee structure covers membership, education, legislation, and career awareness, reflecting a broader focus on building licensure and formal educational pathways in a state that doesn't yet require either.  

About Opticians Association of Washington (OAW)
The Opticians Association of Washington exists to promote the professional stature of opticianry through education, legislative advocacy, and national communication. Membership includes free continuing education at local chapter meetings, a dedicated legislative lobbyist, and a dual membership with the national association, reflecting OAW's committee structure across membership, education, chapters, legislative affairs, and fundraising.  

About United Opticians Association (UOA)  
Founded in 2024 through the unification of the Opticians Association of America and the National Federation of Opticianry Schools, UOA is the national organization representing opticians and accredited college programs across the United States. Dedicated to advancing the profession through education, credentialing, and advocacy, UOA serves as a unified voice for spectacle and contact lens opticians. By supporting national policy efforts and expanding professional training, UOA strengthens the workforce essential to quality vision care and advocates for the high standards necessary to ensure patient safety and public trust.  ​

The OWA offers both in-person and virtual events to cultivate connection, inspiration, and leadership. Network with your peers and fuel professional and personal development with the OWA's versatile events.

Become A Member Of The OWA!
The OWA is committed to enhancing and promoting the leadership role of women in the optical industry, and we're always looking for new new faces to join our mission. If you're looking for a way to network, grow and be supported in this industry, then the OWA is for you!

Membership in the OWA is open to all women in the optical industry.

Individual membership fees are $125.00 US. If more than one person from your organization is a member of Optical Women's Association, the membership fee is $95.00 US per member.

Career Transition

The OWA is pleased to offer a special discounted dues rate of $55 to women in "career transition". This benefit is meant to provide financial relief to women in the optical industry who are currently unemployed or furloughed at the time of joining or renewing. This will allow those actively pursuing a new role in the industry continued access to numerous benefits to assist in their search, including the OWA Job Board, motivational and inspirational podcasts and monthly emails, and Fireside Chats. This special rate allows for membership through the current year only but may be reviewed annually as needed.

Please email a brief employment status description to [email protected] to apply for this rate. A personalized discount code will be sent to you to allow you to join/renew at the Career Transition rate.

​Episode 1: Why Opticians Need a National Voice The wait is over. Today, we officially launch Mission:Optician—the only podcast dedicated to your professional growth and the advancement of our industry. 


What role do you play in improving patient outcomes, and why does our profession need a unified national voice? In this debut episode, UOA Executive Director Gwen Cooper sits down with Bob Alexander, Licensed Optician and Director of Member Education, to pull back the curtain on the mission behind UOA. They discuss the future of opticianry not just as a job, but as a critical healthcare pillar.  


Key Takeaways from the Debut: 

• Why education and minimum competencies for opticians are a national priority. 
• How state associations serve as the essential foundation for national progress. 
• A sneak peek at the innovators and topics coming to the show in 2026. 

Tune in on your favorite platform: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | iHeartRadio | PlayerFM

2026 Leadership Conference: One Vision | One Voice | One UOA 
Join us in Chicago this summer to help shape the future of your profession. With Early Bird rates extended to April 15th, now is the time to commit to your professional advancement. Our curriculum is built for you, the modern leader, featuring hands-on labs with EssilorLuxottica, MEI Systems, Optikam, and eyebot—all designed to sharpen your technical edge. 

Beyond the classroom, you’ll gain exclusive, behind-the-scenes access with facility tours at Europa Eyewear and MEI Systems.  

One highlight of our gathering is the Eye on Impact Awards dinner, powered by Zeiss. It is a night dedicated to recognizing excellence in opticianry, capped by an electrifying keynote address that will leave you ready to command your market and lead with confidence. ​

Pro Tip: State Association and UOA members always save the most. Whether your membership is through your State Association or directly with UOA, you qualify for the lowest rates. If you aren't a member yet, joining now + registering still costs less than the standard non-member rate. State Association members: remember to ask your Director for the special UOA member code to access your discount, or email [email protected].

Preserve the Story of Vision
Support the Optical Heritage Museum
 
The history of eyewear is a history of craftsmanship, innovation, and human connection. From mid-century frame consultations to iconic 1960s designs and early sunwear, each artifact tells the story of how people have seen the world — and themselves — across generations.
​
The Optical Heritage Museum is proud to preserve this story.
As the nation’s only museum dedicated solely to optical heritage, we care for thousands of irreplaceable artifacts representing decades of design, education, and innovation. Every frame, tool, photograph, and display piece in our collection is a physical record of a profession built on skill, precision, and service.

Today, that record is in jeopardy.
Due to ongoing funding challenges, the Optical Heritage Museum faces a real threat to its future. Without ongoing support, the future of this collection — and the ability to properly preserve, store, and share it — is uncertain.
 
This is not an abstract risk.
Museum artifacts require controlled environments, proper archival materials, and secure space. If the facility closes, these items cannot simply be boxed up or replaced. Once damaged, dispersed, or discarded, this history is gone forever.

Saving the Optical Heritage Museum means:

• Preventing the loss of thousands of one-of-a-kind optical artifacts
• Protecting the craftsmanship and education that shaped modern opticianry
• Preserving a professional legacy for students, educators, and future generations
• Ensuring the public can continue to learn the story behind the eyewear they wear every day

This is a critical moment.
We are asking for immediate support to help sustain the museum’s operations, preserve its collection, and keep this history accessible. Whether through a donation, sponsorship, membership, or simply sharing our message, every action helps keep the doors open and the collection intact.
 
If optical history matters to you — if you believe skilled professions deserve to be remembered — now is the time to act.
Help us save the Optical Heritage Museum.
Because once a profession’s history is lost, it cannot be rebuilt

​Enter Today... And Get The Confetti Ready!
Entries Are Open for INVISION’s 2026 America’s Finest Optical Retailers Contest!
 
Are you one of North America’s best independent eyecare practices or eyewear boutiques? Enter by the Early Bird deadline on January 15th and have an INVISION editor review your entry and provide personalized tips to improve it before the final March 15th deadline.
Don't miss your chance to be honored for creating one of the country's very best eyecare businesses. Winners will be featured in our July/August print issue and throughout the year in INVISION and on invisionmag.com.

Best Practices: Adam Cherry on Lens Selection
In this episode of Best Practices, host Steve Alexander sits down with Adam Cherry, president and owner of Cherry Optical Lab, to explore how thoughtful lens selection quietly shapes comfort, confidence, and the long-term experience patients associate with an optical.
Steve and Adam dig into how lens decisions set the foundation long before brands, upgrades, or pricing enter the conversation. From material choice to weight and thickness, they unpack how physical comfort becomes something patients register immediately, even if they’re unable to articulate it. The discussion highlights how starting with how lenses feel and perform throughout the day changes the way recommendations are received and trusted, creating a more intentional, human experience.

Watch The New Episode Now

ABOUT THIS PODCAST:  Tune in to Best Practices twice a month as we deliver practical, actionable insights for eye care professionals seeking to elevate practice performance, patient satisfaction, and clinical outcomes. Each episode features experts sharing their insights about the most pressing issues facing independent eye care practices today.

Designed with busy optometrists, opticians, and staff in mind, the podcast focuses on steps you can implement immediately to improve care and grow your practice; all it should cost you is a little time and effort.

Hello Fellow Opticians,

We are extending greetings from our partners at The Vision Council, the trade association for the vision industry. They are interested in insights from opticians and would like to invite you to join their Research Advisory Panel, an exclusive community where eyecare professionals share their perspectives to help shape the future of vision care and eyewear.

As a panel member, you will:

• Participate in occasional online surveys and discussions
• Receive digital gift cards (ranging from $5–$250) for surveys, interviews and focus-groups
• Be entered into prize drawings when individual incentives are not offered
• Gain access to select survey results to see what your peers are saying

To get started, please complete this short (5-7 minute) survey to determine your
eligibility. If you qualify, you’ll receive a $5 gift card once your responses are reviewed.

You can start taking the survey by clicking here:

Take the Survey Here!

Your responses are confidential, and only The Vision Council’s research team will have access to your responses. If you have any questions, you can contact them at
[email protected].

Thank you for your time and for contributing your valuable insights!
P.S. If necessary, you can copy and paste the survey link into your browser: https://visioncouncil.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6GxRy1MGaYGTGRw?source=UOA