EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1242*
HOUSE BILL 1242
F1, J1 5lr3433
HB 893/24 – W&M
By: Delegates Hill, Kaufman, Patterson, Taveras, and Woods
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Primary and Secondary Students – Vision and Hearing Studies and Evaluations 2
FOR the purpose of requiring the State Department of Education, in collaboration with the 3
Maryland Department of Health, to convene a workgroup to study and make 4
recommendations on vision support treatments and services for students; requiring 5
the Maryland State School Health Council to evaluate certain issues regarding 6
vision and hearing difficulties in primary and secondary students; and generally 7
relating to primary and secondary student vision and hearing studies and 8
evaluations. 9
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 10
That: 11
(a) The State Department of Education, in collaboration with the Maryland 12
Department of Health, shall convene a workgroup that includes representatives of: 13
(1) county boards of education; 14
(2) local health departments; 15
(3) the Maryland Optometric Association; 16
(4) the Maryland Society of Eye Physicians & Surgeons; 17
(5) Vision for Baltimore; and 18
(6) any other relevant State and local vision service providers, such as 19
public libraries that host eye exams and eyeglasses distribution events. 20
(b) The workgroup shall: 21
2 HOUSE BILL 1242
(1) study: 1
(i) the jurisdictional incidence and prevalence of: 2
1. primary and secondary students who fail vision screening 3
tests and the percentage of students who: 4
A. received the recommended follow–up comprehensive 5
vision testing, eyeglasses, or other vision support treatments or services to correct the 6
vision deficiency; 7
B. received the recommended follow–up comprehensive 8
vision testing but have not received recommended eyeglasses or other vision support 9
treatments or other services to correct the vision deficiency; and 10
C. did not obtain the recommended follow–up comprehensive 11
vision testing; 12
2. the correlation between having insurance coverage and 13
whether primary and secondary students receive recommended comprehensive vision 14
testing, eyeglasses, and other vision support treatments or services; and 15
3. other factors that contribute to primary and secondary 16
students not receiving the vision support treatments and services necessary for the 17
students to be visually equipped to learn; 18
(ii) the policies and programs each jurisdiction uses to identify 19
children who have or have not received recommended vision support treatments or services; 20
(iii) for each jurisdiction, the resources available for ensuring that 21
vision deficits are adequately addressed and primary and secondary students are visually 22
equipped to learn, including: 23
1. civic, nonprofit, and public organizations that provide 24
vision screening tests; 25
2. vouchers for purchasing eyeglasses; 26
3. prescription eyeglasses donations; and 27
4. local eye care professionals who provide pro bono or 28
discounted services or supplies to members of the community; 29
(iv) the role and responsibilities of the local public health department 30
and school system in tracking and ensuring primary and secondary students are visually 31
equipped to learn, including the mechanisms and programs used to achieve that goal; 32
HOUSE BILL 1242 3
(v) programs and policies in other states and local jurisdictions that 1
give priority to ensuring that school children are visually equipped to learn, including 2
funding options such as: 3
1. insurance; 4
2. third–party cost coverage; 5
3. grants; 6
4. philanthropy; and 7
5. public funding; and 8
(vi) other factors the workgroup considers necessary to ensure all 9
primary and secondary students are visually equipped to learn; and 10
(2) evaluate and make recommendations regarding: 11
(i) whether additional mandatory school vision screening tests are 12
necessary and, if so, how the additional tests might be funded; 13
(ii) to better identify and track whether students are receiving 14
recommended eye exams and other vision support treatments and services, the feasibility 15
and benefits of developing a mechanism to facilitate reporting eye exam findings to the local 16
school system or public health department in a manner that is similar to how eye exam 17
results are reported to the Motor Vehicle Administration; 18
(iii) how to better educate families about the importance of 19
diagnosing and treating vision deficits; 20
(iv) how to better partner with community eye professionals to 21
address the needs of the community; 22
(v) the feasibility and necessity of a vision support program that: 23
1. would identify and assist only primary and secondary 24
students who have vision needs and are: 25
A. being missed under the current system; or 26
B. identified under the current system but are not receiving 27
the necessary vision support treatments and services; 28
2. would not provide vision screening tests, eye exams, or 29
other vision support treatments and services to all primary and secondary students; 30
4 HOUSE BILL 1242
3. would connect students identified by the program to: 1
A. local vision service providers for ongoing and long–term 2
care; 3
B. insurance benefits; and 4
C. philanthropic resources; and 5
4. would emphasize education and increased awareness 6
around vision needs and services; 7
(vi) how the State can assist local jurisdictions to ensure all students 8
are visually equipped to learn; 9
(vii) annual funding levels for vision support programs and options 10
for sustaining the funding; and 11
(viii) how a vision support program would give priority to: 12
1. referring primary and secondary students initially 13
identified and treated through the program to community providers for their ongoing and 14
long–term vision support needs; 15
2. partnering with community providers to provide primary 16
and secondary students with initial vision assessments and treatments and long–term care; 17
and 18
3. ensuring vision support treatment and services are 19
provided to primary and secondary students regardless of insurance status, with 20
consideration given to whether insurance companies can provide annual contributions, 21
capitation, or other methods to underwrite the cost of the programs either in part or in 22
whole. 23
(c) A member of the workgroup: 24
(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the workgroup; but 25
(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 26
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 27
(d) On or before December 31, 2026, the workgroup shall submit a report of its 28
findings and recommendations, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government 29
Article, to: 30
(1) the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and the Environment; 31
HOUSE BILL 1242 5
(2) the Education, Business and Administration Subcommittee of the 1
Senate Budget and Taxation Committee; 2
(3) the House Health and Government Operations Committee; 3
(4) the House Ways and Means Committee; and 4
(5) the Education and Economic Development Subcommittee of the House 5
Appropriations Committee. 6
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 7
(a) The Maryland State School Health Council shall evaluate: 8
(1) how the Council can partner with interested parties to address issues 9
that may arise when primary and secondary students are inadequately equipped to learn 10
due to vision or hearing difficulties; 11
(2) the number of school primary and secondary students with hearing 12
difficulties who have not received the auditory aids necessary for them to learn; and 13
(3) whether statutory support programs similar to programs studied under 14
Section 1 of this Act would assist public school primary and secondary students who have 15
hearing difficulties. 16
(b) On or before December 31, 2026, the Maryland State School Health Council 17
shall submit a report of its findings, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government 18
Article, to: 19
(1) the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and the Environment; 20
(2) the Education, Business and Administration Subcommittee of the 21
Senate Budget and Taxation Committee; 22
(3) the House Health and Government Operations Committee; 23
(4) the House Ways and Means Committee; and 24
(5) the Education and Economic Development Subcommittee of the House 25
Appropriations Committee. 26
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 27
1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 2 years and, at the end of June 30, 2027, 28
this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and 29
of no further force and effect. 30