By:  Moncrief                                         S.B. No. 1403

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

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

 1-2     screening, and treatment program.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 91.027, Human Resources Code, is amended

 1-5     to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 91.027.  BLINDNESS EDUCATION, SCREENING, AND TREATMENT

 1-7     PROGRAM [PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS AND CONSERVATION OF EYESIGHT].

 1-8     (a)  The commission shall develop a Blindness Education, Screening,

 1-9     and Treatment Program to provide blindness prevention education and

1-10     to provide screening and treatment [take measures it considers

1-11     advisable] to prevent blindness for residents who are not covered

1-12     under an adequate health benefit plan [and to conserve eyesight].

1-13           (b)  The commission shall implement the program only to the

1-14     extent that funds are available under Section 521.421(f),

1-15     Transportation Code.  The program shall include:

1-16                 (1)  public education about blindness and other eye

1-17     conditions;

1-18                 (2)  screenings and eye examinations to identify

1-19     conditions that may cause blindness; and

1-20                 (3)  treatment procedures necessary to prevent

1-21     blindness.

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

1-23     requirements for the program.

 2-1           SECTION 2.  Section 521.421, Transportation Code, is amended

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

 2-3           (f)  The department shall collect an additional fee of $1 for

 2-4     the issuance or renewal of a license to fund the Blindness

 2-5     Education, Screening, and Treatment Program established under

 2-6     Section 91.027, Human Resources Code, if the person applying for or

 2-7     renewing a license opts to pay the additional fee.

 2-8           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-9           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-10     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-11     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-12     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-13     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.