By: Dutton (Senate Sponsor - Birdwell) H.B. No. 1297

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 24, 2023; April 24, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Education; May 10, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 10, 2023, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE VOTE

YeaNayAbsentPNV

CreightonX

CampbellX

BettencourtX

BirdwellX

FloresX

KingX

LaMantiaX

MenéndezX

MiddletonX

ParkerX

PaxtonX

SpringerX

WestX

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to vision screenings for students in public or private school.

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

SECTION 1. Section 36.003, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Subdivision (1-a) to read as follows:

(1-a) "Electronic eye chart" means any computerized or other electronic system, device, or method of displaying on an electronic screen medically accepted and properly sized optotypes, which may be letters, numbers, or symbols, a health care practitioner or other person uses to assess an individual's visual acuity. The term does not include an automated computer program that assesses an individual's visual acuity through the individual's interaction with the program by playing a game.

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.

SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall adopt the rules necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

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