Amendment #973 to H3600

Children's Vision Commission

Representatives Barber of Somerville, Benson of Lunenburg, Dykema of Holliston, Gentile of Sudbury, Gordon of Bedford, Keefe of Worcester, Khan of Newton, Livingstone of Boston, Provost of Somerville, Rogers of Cambridge, Tosado of Springfield and Vega of Holyoke move to amend the bill by adding the following section:

SECTION XXXX.

(a) There shall be a special commission on childhood vision and eye health to monitor compliance with section 57 of chapter 71 in ensuring that all children receive eye examinations and appropriate preventative measures, including monitoring treatment for vision impairment identified by such tests, and developing recommendations for a children’s vision registry.

(b) The commission shall consist of the commissioner of the department of public health or her designee; the commissioner of the department of elementary and secondary education or his designee, the commissioner of early education and care or his designee; a member of the Children’s Vision Massachusetts Coalition, a member of the Massachusetts School Nurses Organization, a member of the Massachusetts Society of Optometrists, and a member of the Massachusetts Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons, Association and a member of the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The commissioner of the department of public health or designee shall chair the commission.

(c) The commission shall review the commonwealth’s success at screening and treating all of its children for vision impairments and eye disease, identify populations that do not receive screening, eye examinations, or necessary related treatments, and explore the impacts of vision screening and treatment on commonwealth education outcomes. The commission shall review the success of schools in meeting the vision screenings requirements in section 57 of chapter 71, including: -

(1) compliance with vision screening and eye exam requirements in section 57 of chapter 71 by school and district including public and private schools;

(2) number of children, by grade, by school, by district who do not receive vision screenings, eye exams, or treatment;

(3) number of children, by grade, by school, by district with a diagnosed vision condition; and

(4) other evaluation, surveillance and recommended interventions as determined by the commission.

(d) The commission shall submit a report, with recommendations, to the secretary of health and human services, the commissioner of the department of public health, the commissioner of early education and care, the commissioner of the department of education, the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on health care financing, and the joint committee on public health no later than twelve months after its establishment and then annually that includes findings under subsection (c) and recommendations for a children’s vision registry and vision health outcomes for children. The commission shall be established not later than 90 days from the effective date of this act.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #973 to H3600

Children's Vision Commission