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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