The NJSOP was honored to present Senator Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr. with the Society's 2022 Public Service Award for his support of the profession of Optometry.
Senator Diegnan, who represents the 18th legislative district and has served in both the NJ Assembly and Senate, has a long history of supporting the profession of optometry.
A staunch supporter of education, in 2006 he championed legislation to set up a pilot program that identified the importance of a comprehensive eye exam for students and its role to understand the impact on eliminating the special education classification of students who have treatable vision related difficulties.
In 2015 Senator Diegnan sponsored legislation that helped optometry retain the ability to prescribe hydrocodone when the Federal government reclassified this drug.
And in 2021, in the midst of the pandemic, Senator Diegnan championed legislation allowing optometrists to offer vaccinations for coronaviruses and influenza, proving once again that he understands the role of the optometric physician within the healthcare system.
We are grateful for his understanding of our Optometric issues and appreciate his support throughout the years.