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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to vision screenings for students in public or private |
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school, including vision screening information reporting for |
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public school students and the creation of a matching grant program |
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for visual devices for certain students. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 38.035 and 38.0351 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 38.035. VISION SCREENING REPORTING. (a) Not later |
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than May 31 of each year, the agency shall post on the agency's |
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Internet website a report regarding the number of students in each |
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school district identified as having a vision disorder or other |
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vision problem under the screening program described by Section |
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36.004, Health and Safety Code, disaggregated by: |
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(1) grade level; |
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(2) campus; |
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(3) gender; |
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(4) race; |
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(5) ethnicity; |
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(6) whether the student is educationally |
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disadvantaged; and |
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(7) the number of times the student was previously |
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identified as having a vision disorder or other vision problem. |
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(b) The commissioner by rule shall require each school |
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district to report through the Public Education Information |
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Management System (PEIMS) information necessary for the agency to |
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prepare the report required by this section. |
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Sec. 38.0351. MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE VISUAL |
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DEVICES FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS. (a) In this section, "eligible |
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student" means a student who: |
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(1) has been identified as having a vision disorder or |
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other vision problem under the screening program described by |
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Section 36.004, Health and Safety Code; |
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(2) is educationally disadvantaged; and |
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(3) is not covered by a health benefit plan that |
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provides vision care benefits. |
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(b) The agency shall establish and administer a matching |
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grant program to award to school districts grants to cover the costs |
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of providing to eligible students visual devices, including glasses |
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or contact lenses, by directly paying for or reimbursing an |
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eligible student's parent for the cost of a visual device. |
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(c) The agency shall develop eligibility and selection |
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criteria for grant applicants, including the amount of matching |
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money a grant applicant must provide for a grant award under this |
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section. The matching money may not be from state money. |
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(d) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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administer the matching grant program established under this |
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section. |
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(e) The agency may award a grant under this section only in |
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accordance with a contract between the agency and grant recipient. |
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The contract must include provisions under which the agency is |
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granted sufficient control to ensure the public purpose of |
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providing visual devices to eligible students is accomplished and |
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this state receives the return benefit. |
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SECTION 2. Section 36.004(b-1), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b-1) The rules must allow an individual who attends a |
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public or private school to be screened: |
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(1) using photoscreening to detect vision disorders; |
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[and] |
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(2) using an electronic eye chart as a substitute for a |
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printed eye chart to assess visual acuity; and |
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(3) using visual screening techniques to detect depth |
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perception issues and color blindness. |
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SECTION 3. Section 36.006, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) The form prescribed by the department under |
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Subsection (a) must include: |
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(1) separate spaces for the student's first and last |
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name; |
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(2) a space for the preschool's or school's name; |
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(3) a space for the student's grade level; |
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(4) information for a student's parent regarding |
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available resources for low-cost vision care; and |
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(5) information for a student's parent regarding the |
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student's potential eligibility to receive benefits under Medicaid |
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and the process for applying for those benefits. |
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(a-2) The department shall biennially update the form |
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information required under Subsection (a-1)(4). |
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SECTION 4. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act, the commissioner of education shall adopt rules |
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necessary to implement Sections 38.035 and 38.0351, Education Code, |
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as added by this Act. |
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(b) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall, as soon as practicable after the |
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effective date of this Act, adopt rules necessary to implement the |
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changes in law made by this Act to Chapter 36, Health and Safety |
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Code. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |