Bills › 88th General Assembly
Relating to vision screenings, examinations, services, and supplies for children
Topics:K–12 education
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedMarch 6, 2019
- Stopped: SubcommitteeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: House committee
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: Senate committee
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2020 session adjourned on June 14, 2020, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
This bill requires that, in addition to existing requirements for the parent or guardian ensuring that a child to be enrolled in a public or accredited nonpublic elementary school is screened for vision impairment at least once before enrollment in kindergarten and again before enrollment in grade three, the parent or guardian shall ensure that the child is screened for vision impairment as early as possible, but no later than the child’s first year in any public or private education program or a child care facility.
Read the full explanation
The person who performs a vision screening for the additional group of children as required under the bill shall report the results of the vision screening to the department of public health (DPH) as is required for existing vision screenings. The bill also requires that each public or private education program or child care facility in collaboration with DPH provide the parents or guardians of these children with vision screening referral resources. The bill requires that a policy or contract delivered, issued for delivery, continued, or renewed in the state on or after July 1, 2019, providing for third-party payment or prepayment of health or medical expenses shall provide coverage benefits for the costs associated with vision screenings, examinations, vision therapy, and services and supplies including glasses or contacts for children, as determined medically necessary by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. The bill requires the child vision screening work group to review the requirements for child vision screening and examination, geographically accessible opportunities for the provision of required and necessary vision services and supplies, and the availability of public and private coverage of vision services and supplies, and to report key findings and recommendations to the governor and the general assembly by November 15, 2019, to increase the percentage of children receiving vision screenings, examinations, and medically necessary services and supplies at as early an age as possible in the state. The child vision screening work group is an existing work group established by the director of public health and comprised of eye health professionals in the state including licensed ophthalmologists, licensed optometrists, representatives or designees of leading vision organizations, and other stakeholders as determined by the director.