Schwertner’s bill on student vision screenings

The text as introduced · 709 words

89R15002 MPF-F

By: Schwertner
S.B. No. 1889

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to vision screenings for students in public or private

school, including vision screening information reporting for

public school students and the creation of a matching grant program

for visual devices for certain students.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is

amended by adding Sections 38.035 and 38.0351 to read as follows:

Sec. 38.035. VISION SCREENING REPORTING. (a) Not later

than May 31 of each year, the agency shall post on the agency's

Internet website a report regarding the number of students in each

school district identified as having a vision disorder or other

vision problem under the screening program described by Section

36.004, Health and Safety Code, disaggregated by:

(1) grade level;

(2) campus;

(3) gender;

(4) race;

(5) ethnicity;

(6) whether the student is educationally

disadvantaged; and

(7) the number of times the student was previously

identified as having a vision disorder or other vision problem.

(b) The commissioner by rule shall require each school

district to report through the Public Education Information

Management System (PEIMS) information necessary for the agency to

prepare the report required by this section.

Sec. 38.0351. MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE VISUAL

DEVICES FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS. (a) In this section, "eligible

student" means a student who:

(1) has been identified as having a vision disorder or

other vision problem under the screening program described by

Section 36.004, Health and Safety Code;

(2) is educationally disadvantaged; and

(3) is not covered by a health benefit plan that

provides vision care benefits.

(b) The agency shall establish and administer a matching

grant program to award to school districts grants to cover the costs

of providing to eligible students visual devices, including glasses

or contact lenses, by directly paying for or reimbursing an

eligible student's parent for the cost of a visual device.

(c) The agency shall develop eligibility and selection

criteria for grant applicants, including the amount of matching

money a grant applicant must provide for a grant award under this

section. The matching money may not be from state money.

(d) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to

administer the matching grant program established under this

section.

(e) The agency may award a grant under this section only in

accordance with a contract between the agency and grant recipient.

The contract must include provisions under which the agency is

granted sufficient control to ensure the public purpose of

providing visual devices to eligible students is accomplished and

this state receives the return benefit.

SECTION 2. Section 36.004(b-1), Health and Safety Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(b-1) The rules must allow an individual who attends a

public or private school to be screened:

(1) using photoscreening to detect vision disorders;

[ and ]

(2) using an electronic eye chart as a substitute for a

printed eye chart to assess visual acuity ; and

(3) using visual screening techniques to detect depth

perception issues and color blindness .

SECTION 3. Section 36.006, Health and Safety Code, is

amended by adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows:

(a-1) The form prescribed by the department under

Subsection (a) must include:

(1) separate spaces for the student's first and last

name;

(2) a space for the preschool's or school's name;

(3) a space for the student's grade level;

(4) information for a student's parent regarding

available resources for low-cost vision care; and

(5) information for a student's parent regarding the

student's potential eligibility to receive benefits under Medicaid

and the process for applying for those benefits.

(a-2) The department shall biennially update the form

information required under Subsection (a-1)(4).

SECTION 4. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective

date of this Act, the commissioner of education shall adopt rules

necessary to implement Sections 38.035 and 38.0351, Education Code,

as added by this Act.

(b) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human

Services Commission shall, as soon as practicable after the

effective date of this Act, adopt rules necessary to implement the

changes in law made by this Act to Chapter 36, Health and Safety

Code.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.