CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1951

Chapter 379, Laws of 2005

59th Legislature
2005 Regular Session



PUBLIC SCHOOLS--VISION TESTING



EFFECTIVE DATE: 7/24/05

Passed by the House April 18, 2005
  Yeas 94   Nays 1

FRANK CHOPP
________________________________________    
Speaker of the House of Representatives


Passed by the Senate April 6, 2005
  Yeas 48   Nays 0


BRAD OWEN
________________________________________    
President of the Senate
 
CERTIFICATE

I, Richard Nafziger, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1951 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.


RICHARD NAFZIGER
________________________________________    
Chief Clerk
Approved May 10, 2005.








CHRISTINE GREGOIRE
________________________________________    
Governor of the State of Washington
 
FILED
May 10, 2005 - 9:59 a.m.







Secretary of State
State of Washington


_____________________________________________ 

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1951
_____________________________________________

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

Passed Legislature - 2005 Regular Session
State of Washington59th Legislature2005 Regular Session

By House Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Quall, Talcott, Haler, Morrell, Campbell, O'Brien, Hankins, Kagi and McDermott)

READ FIRST TIME 03/07/05.   



     AN ACT Relating to vision exams for school-aged children; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that:
     (1) Vision is one of the primary senses used in the early learning process;
     (2) Vision problems affecting preschool and school-age children can impact a child's ability to learn;
     (3) Economically disadvantaged children have less access to health care and therefore, may have a proportionally greater likelihood of having undiagnosed vision problems that may affect their ability to learn;
     (4) Vision problems in young children can be misinterpreted as neurodevelopmental delay or as learning disabilities; and
     (5) Current screening for visual acuity at distance is insufficient to detect all vision defects.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The department of health shall convene a work group to reevaluate visual screening of children in public schools and make any recommendations regarding changes to the rules. In developing its recommendations, the work group shall, at a minimum:
     (a) Consider the benefits of complete eye exams on public school children;
     (b) Consider when visual screening, complete eye exams, or both should take place in preschool or kindergarten through high school in order to ensure children are best prepared for the learning environment; and
     (c) Consider what screening techniques would be appropriate in a school setting.
     (2) In developing the recommendations, the department of health shall consult with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the state board of health, the optometric physicians of Washington, and the Washington academy of eye physicians and surgeons.
     (3) The work group shall make a preliminary report to the legislature and the state board of health by December 1, 2005. The work group shall make final recommendations to the legislature and to the state board of health by December 1, 2006.
     (4) If specific funding for this act is not referenced by bill or chapter number in the biennial omnibus appropriations act by June 30, 2005, this act is null and void.


         Passed by the House April 18, 2005.
         Passed by the Senate April 6, 2005.
         Approved by the Governor May 10, 2005.
         Filed in Office of Secretary of State May 10, 2005.