WSR 15-05-083

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed February 18, 2015, 10:41 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 246-760-001, 246-760-020, 246-760-070, 246-760-080, 246-760-090 and 246-760-100, visual screening in schools.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 28A.210.020.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: RCW 28A.210.020 tasks the state board of health (board) to adopt rules for visual screening in schools. In 2005 the legislature enacted SHB 1951 and required the department of health (department) to convene a workgroup to reevaluate visual screening of school children and issue a report. In 2007 the board endorsed the workgroup's recommendations in the report. When the report was published there was a moratorium on rule making and subsequently, staff resources were not available. The board and the department have since reevaluated the recommendations and determined some are still valid and changes may need to be made to the current rules.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Washington state office of the superintendent of public instruction.

Process for Developing New Rule: Collaborative.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. Interested parties and stakeholders may attend and participate in the public rules hearing. To request an early rule draft for review or the notice of proposed rule making (CR-102) please contact Ellen Silverman, P.O. Box 47880, Olympia, WA 98504, phone (360) 236-3580, fax (360) 586-7868, Elllen.Silverman@DOH.WA.GOV. or Tara Wolff, Health Policy Advisor, State Board of Health, (360) 236-4101 or Tara.Wolff@DOH.WA.GOV.

February 18, 2015

Michelle A. Davis

Executive Director