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HD 928

An Act relative to prescription eyewear

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Marcus Vaughn

The bill requires every prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses to include the patient’s pupillary distance (PD) with no extra charge.

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Bill Summary · HD 928

Summary: An Act relative to prescription eyewear (HD 928)

Overview

  • Title: An Act relative to prescription eyewear
  • Bill number: House Docket No. 928 (House, No. 2558)
  • Sponsor: Representative Marcus S. Vaughn (Wrentham, 9th Norfolk)
  • Session: Massachusetts General Court, 2025-2026 (One Hundred Ninety-Fourth General Court)
  • Status: Filed/introduced in 2025; the text provided shows a filing date of January 14, 2025. Note: the user lists an introduced date of November 29, 2025, which may reflect a later status update; the official bill text references the 2025-2026 session with the 2025 filing date.
  • Purpose: To standardize the inclusion of a patient’s pupillary distance (PD) on prescriptions for eyeglasses or contact lenses, issued by licensed physicians or registered optometrists.

Key Provisions

  • Mandatory PD on prescriptions: Any licensed physician or registered optometrist who issues a written prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses in Massachusetts must include the patient’s pupillary distance on the prescription.
  • No extra charges: No additional fees may be charged for including the PD on the prescription.
  • Regulatory implementation: The Board of Registration in Optometry is required to issue promulgations (regulations) to carry out and enforce the PD prescription requirement.

Impact and Affected Parties

  • Affected professionals: Licensed physicians and registered optometrists who issue written prescriptions for eyeglasses or contact lenses.
  • Affected populations: Patients receiving eyeglasses or contact lenses in Massachusetts; ultimately, patients would receive prescriptions with PD information to aid accurate lens fitting.
  • Administrative impact: Practitioners must ensure PD is specified on all applicable prescriptions; the optometry board will develop regulations detailing how the PD must be measured, documented, and transmitted.

Implementation and Timeline

  • Regulatory actions: The Board of Registration in Optometry is tasked with issuing promulgations to implement the PD requirement.
  • Effective date: The bill text does not specify a separate effective date; implementation depends on the promulgated regulations issued by the optometry board.

Notes

  • The core change is a standards-based accuracy improvement for eyewear prescriptions, ensuring PD is consistently included.
  • The proposal does not alter who may issue prescriptions or the fundamental prescribing process, but adds a concrete content requirement to reduce errors and improve fit.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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