History of Registered Opticians in Texas!
The Registered Opticians Association of Texas has it's roots from the Opticians Association of Texas. Texas opticians were in danger of losing all claim to professional status in 1981 and nothing was being done to stop it. A handful of opticians including Bruce Richardson and Sammy Timpa concluded that there was no alternative but to form a new association to deal with legal and legislative issues. Opticians Association of Texas Inc. (OAT) was formed and the result was the  passage of the Opticians Registry Act in 1991.

It’s déjà vu.  Today we face a similar danger, because nothing has been done effectively since OAT became inactive in 1995. As a result, in June 2001 three Opticians dedicated to improving the status and future of all Opticians formally announced the creation of the Registered Opticians Association of Texas, Inc. (ROATx). Today there are over one-hundred members and over two-hundred affiliates that participate in the activities and training provided through ROATx.  The purpose of ROATx is to aggressively promote the academic, legal, and legislative interests of all opticians in Texas and to expand the scope of practice of Registered Opticians. The officers of ROATx are: Sam Johnson serving as President, Sammy Timpa (OAT Past-President) serving as Vice-President, and Bruce Richardson (OAT Past-President) serving as Executive Director. In 2005 the Executive Board of Directors of the Registered Opticians Association of Texas was expanded to five members by the addition of two additional members. Robert Van Cleave from Abilene, Texas and Benjamin J. Rust from Fort Worth, Texas were added to the Executive Board and are currently serving in Vice President positions. 

During the 77th, 78th, 79th, and 80th session of the Texas Legislature in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2009  ROATx was the only organization representing opticians. We stood alone! We testified before the Public Health and State Affairs committees of the House. We represented Opticianry in discussions with the Chairman of the Public Health committee and other interested groups. We have invested many hours in conversations with legislators, staff people, and representatives of other groups about our issues. Between now and the next session of the Texas legislature in January 2011 there is much work that must be done. 

This site offers you the opportunity to learn more about the Registered Opticians Association of Texas, Inc. (ROATx), renamed in 2001(formerly known as the Opticians Association of Texas - "OAT"). Most of the officers of ROATx have served Texas opticians as their "legislative voice" since 1980 when they founded and also served as the leadership of the Opticians Association of Texas (OAT). It was their leadership of OAT that made it possible to establish the Art and Science of Opticianry as an independent profession in Texas regulated by the Texas Department of Health (1991) and they were also successful in removing Registered Opticians from being regulated by the Texas Optometry Board (1995).

During the last three sessions of the Texas legislature (2001 and 2003), ROATx was the ONLY professional association in Texas to represent the opticians of Texas and to participate in the legislative hearings that concerned the future status of opticians in Texas. 

We encourage all Opticians to make every effort to earn the professional designations available through ABO/NCLE and complete the additional Continuing Education requirement necessary to become Registered with the Texas Department of Health as a Registered Dispensing Optician and a Registered Contact Lens Technician. Upon completion of earning both registrations, You will have earned the right to use the designation of ROATx Dual Registered Optician. A ROATx Dual Registered Optician WILL be recognized industry wide as a fully trained professional in the Art and Science of Opticianry. For more information about how to become a Registered Optician go to the Texas Department of State Health Services link http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/optician/default.shtm or contact us at info@ROATx.org. 


At the national OAA annual business meeting in California, the officers of ROATx discussed with the ABO/NCLE board members, that were present, the possibility of treating Texas Department of Health Registered Opticians who have kept their Texas Registry current during the three year term of their ABO/NCLE certifications be treated the same as Licensed Opticians in other states. This would require that Texas Registration License (a voluntary license) be accepted the same as any other licensed state's documentation as proof of completing the necessary requirements for the renewal of the ABO and NCLE certifications. This proposal by ROATx was accepted by the board of the ABO/NCLE at the August 2001 board meeting. This means that a Texas Department of Health Registration will be treated the same as Licensure in other states in regard to renewal of certification. As a purely practical matter, a Texas "Registered Optician" will need to maintain proof of continuous registration with the Texas Department of Health, but will now need only to provide a copy of one registration document during the three years to the ABO/NCLE certification organization (this may be faxed in or mailed in to ABO/NCLE at any time during the three year period). No longer will Registered Opticians in Texas be required to send in a collection of numerous documents and forms as previously required. ROATx has made it easier to maintain national certification with the ABO/NCLE if you are a Texas Department of Health Registered Optician than if you are a non-registered optician in Texas and only entry level certified. The Registered Opticians Association of Texas (ROATx) promises to continue representing the needs of all Registered Opticians in Texas. 


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