SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1068        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 35

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Cynthia S. Creem, (BY REQUEST)

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to survey the needs of children, adults and seniors who are visually impaired..

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1068        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 35

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act to survey the needs of children, adults and seniors who are visually impaired..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department of public health shall conduct a study for the purpose of collecting data that will determine what services will benefit the visually impaired and increasing number of elders who are experiencing vision loss associated with aging and not receiving services that would allow them to maintain their quality of life.  The study shall survey the needs of children, adults and seniors who are visually impaired and residents of Commonwealth. 

(b) For the purposes of this study an individual shall be considered visually impaired if he or she meets one or more of the following criteria;

(1) he or she has an impairment of visual function which cannot be improved, by the use of corrective lenses, to a level that would normally be acceptable for reading without a special level or kind of light;

(2) he or she is unable, through physical disability, to hold or manipulate a book; or

(3) he or she is unable, through physical disability, to focus or move his or her eyes to the extent that would normally be acceptable for reading

(4) he or she has any other impairment of visual function but is not legally blind.

( c )  The department shall consult with the following seven individuals regarding the scope of the study:  the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission or his designee, the Commissioner of Commission for the Blind or his designee, the Secretary of the Office of Elder Affairs or his designee, the Commissioner of the Department of Education or his designee, the Chief Executive Officer of MAB community services or his designee, the president of the Silver Haired Legislature or his designee, and the president of the Massachusetts Association of Parents of Visually Impaired Children or his designee. 

(d)  The department shall conduct and complete this study by June 30, 2010.   By June 30, 2010, the department shall submit its report to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate and House chairs of the Joint Committee on Children and Families, and the Senate and House chairs of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing.