89R15002 MPF-F
By: Schwertner S.B. No. 1889
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to vision screenings for students in public or private
school, including vision screening information reporting for
public school students and the creation of a matching grant program
for visual devices for certain students.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is
amended by adding Sections 38.035 and 38.0351 to read as follows:
Sec. 38.035. VISION SCREENING REPORTING. (a) Not later
than May 31 of each year, the agency shall post on the agency's
Internet website a report regarding the number of students in each
school district identified as having a vision disorder or other
vision problem under the screening program described by Section
36.004, Health and Safety Code, disaggregated by:
(1) grade level;
(2) campus;
(3) gender;
(4) race;
(5) ethnicity;
(6) whether the student is educationally
disadvantaged; and
(7) the number of times the student was previously
identified as having a vision disorder or other vision problem.
(b) The commissioner by rule shall require each school
district to report through the Public Education Information
Management System (PEIMS) information necessary for the agency to
prepare the report required by this section.
Sec. 38.0351. MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE VISUAL
DEVICES FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS. (a) In this section, "eligible
student" means a student who:
(1) has been identified as having a vision disorder or
other vision problem under the screening program described by
Section 36.004, Health and Safety Code;
(2) is educationally disadvantaged; and
(3) is not covered by a health benefit plan that
provides vision care benefits.
(b) The agency shall establish and administer a matching
grant program to award to school districts grants to cover the costs
of providing to eligible students visual devices, including glasses
or contact lenses, by directly paying for or reimbursing an
eligible student's parent for the cost of a visual device.
(c) The agency shall develop eligibility and selection
criteria for grant applicants, including the amount of matching
money a grant applicant must provide for a grant award under this
section. The matching money may not be from state money.
(d) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to
administer the matching grant program established under this
section.
(e) The agency may award a grant under this section only in
accordance with a contract between the agency and grant recipient.
The contract must include provisions under which the agency is
granted sufficient control to ensure the public purpose of
providing visual devices to eligible students is accomplished and
this state receives the return benefit.
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; and
(3) using visual screening techniques to detect depth
perception issues and color blindness.
SECTION 3. Section 36.006, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows:
(a-1) The form prescribed by the department under
Subsection (a) must include:
(1) separate spaces for the student's first and last
name;
(2) a space for the preschool's or school's name;
(3) a space for the student's grade level;
(4) information for a student's parent regarding
available resources for low-cost vision care; and
(5) information for a student's parent regarding the
student's potential eligibility to receive benefits under Medicaid
and the process for applying for those benefits.
(a-2) The department shall biennially update the form
information required under Subsection (a-1)(4).
SECTION 4. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective
date of this Act, the commissioner of education shall adopt rules
necessary to implement Sections 38.035 and 38.0351, Education Code,
as added by this Act.
(b) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission shall, as soon as practicable after the
effective date of this Act, adopt rules necessary to implement the
changes in law made by this Act to Chapter 36, Health and Safety
Code.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.