By Naishtat                                     H.B. No. 2620

      75R6530 SKB-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the establishment and funding of a blindness education,

 1-3     screening, and treatment program.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 91.027, Human Resources Code, is amended

 1-6     to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 91.027.  BLINDNESS EDUCATION, SCREENING, AND TREATMENT

 1-8     PROGRAM [PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS AND CONSERVATION OF EYESIGHT].

 1-9     (a)  The  commission shall develop a Blindness Education,

1-10     Screening, and Treatment Program to provide blindness prevention

1-11     education and to provide screening and treatment to prevent

1-12     blindness for residents who are not covered under an adequate

1-13     health benefit plan.

1-14           (b)  The program must include written educational materials,

1-15     telephone-accessible information, and public presentations about

1-16     blindness and other eye conditions.

1-17           (c)  The screening procedures provided through the program

1-18     must include eye examinations performed by a licensed optometrist

1-19     to identify conditions that may cause blindness.

1-20           (d)  The treatment procedures provided through the program

1-21     may include any procedures necessary to prevent blindness.

1-22           (e)  The commission by rule shall prescribe eligibility

1-23     requirements for the program.

1-24           (f)  The blindness education, screening, and treatment

 2-1     account is an account in the state treasury.  The account is

 2-2     composed of money contributed to the account under Section 521.421,

 2-3     Transportation Code.  Money in the account may be appropriated only

 2-4     to the commission to administer and implement the program required

 2-5     by this section.

 2-6           (g)  The commission shall implement the Blindness Education,

 2-7     Screening, and Treatment Program not later than January 1, 1998.

 2-8     This subsection expires February 1, 1998.  [The commission shall

 2-9     take measures it considers advisable to prevent blindness and to

2-10     conserve eyesight.]

2-11           SECTION 2.  Section 521.421, Transportation Code, is amended

2-12     by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:

2-13           (f)  The department shall collect an additional fee of $1 for

2-14     the issuance or renewal of a license to fund the Blindness

2-15     Education, Screening, and Treatment Program established under

2-16     Section 91.027, Human Resources Code.  The department shall forward

2-17     money collected under this subsection to the comptroller for

2-18     deposit to the blindness education, screening, and treatment

2-19     account.

2-20           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-21           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-22     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-23     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-24     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-25     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.