A. 1. The parent or guardian of each student enrolled in kindergarten at a public school in this state shall provide certification to school personnel that the student passed a vision screening within the previous twelve (12) months or during the school year. Such screening shall be conducted by personnel listed on the statewide registry as maintained by the State Department of Health.

2. The parent or guardian of each student enrolled in first or third grade at a public school in this state shall provide within thirty (30) days of the beginning of the school year certification to school personnel that the student passed a vision screening within the previous twelve (12) months. Such screening shall be conducted by personnel listed on the statewide registry as maintained by the State Department of Health.

3. The parent or guardian of each student who receives a vision screening as required by this section shall receive notification that a vision screening is not the equivalent of a comprehensive eye exam.

B. 1. The Infant and Children's Health Advisory Council created in Section 44 of this act shall make recommendations to the State Board of Health on:

a.standards for vision screening and referral,

b.qualifications for initial recognition and renewal of recognition of vision screeners,

c.qualifications for initial recognition and renewal of recognition of vision screener trainers,

d.qualifications for initial recognition and renewal of recognition of trainers of vision screener trainers, and

e.grounds for denial, refusal, suspension or revocation of recognition of vision screeners, vision screener trainers and trainers of vision screener trainers.

2. The Department shall:

a.establish and thereafter maintain a statewide registry, available via the Internet, which shall contain a list of approved vision screeners,

b.maintain a list of approved vision screener trainers and trainers of vision screener trainers, and

c.maintain the standards for vision screening and referral.

3. After notice and hearing, the Department may deny, refuse, suspend or revoke approval to an applicant which has a history of:

a.noncompliance or incomplete or partial compliance with the provisions of this section or the rules adopted by the Board to implement the provisions of this section,

b.referring persons to a business in which the applicant has a financial interest or a business which is owned or operated by someone within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity of the applicant, or

c.conduct which demonstrates that the applicant is providing services in a manner which does not warrant public trust.

4. The Board, giving consideration to the recommendations of the Infant and Children's Health Advisory Council created in Section 44 of this act, shall promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section.

C. 1. The parent or guardian of each student who fails the vision screening required in subsection A of this section shall receive a recommendation to undergo a comprehensive eye examination performed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist.

2. The ophthalmologist or optometrist shall forward a written report of the results of the comprehensive eye examination to the student's school, parent or guardian, and primary health care provider designated by the parent or guardian. The report shall include, but not be limited to:

a.date of report,

b.name, address and date of birth of the student,

c.name of the student's school,

d.type of examination,

e.a summary of significant findings, including diagnoses, medication used, duration of action of medication, treatment, prognosis, whether or not a return visit is recommended and, if so when,

f.recommended educational adjustments for the child, if any, which may include: preferential seating in the classroom, eyeglasses for full-time use in school, eyeglasses for part-time use in school, sight-saving eyeglasses, and any other recommendations, and

g.name, address and signature of the examiner.

D. No student shall be prohibited from attending school for a parent's or guardian's failure to furnish a report of the student's vision screening or an examiner's failure to furnish the results of a student's comprehensive eye examination required by this section.

E. School districts shall notify parents or guardians of students who enroll in kindergarten, first, or third grade for the 2007-08 school year and each year thereafter of the requirements of this section.

F. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the implementation of this section except as provided in subsection B of this section. The State Department of Education shall issue a report annually on the impact and effectiveness of this section.

Added by Laws 2006, c. 160, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2006. Amended by Laws 2009, c. 175, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2009; Laws 2010, c. 2, § 88, emerg. eff. March 3, 2010; Laws 2013, c. 135, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2013; Laws 2013, c. 229, § 79, eff. Nov. 1, 2013.

NOTE: Laws 2009, c. 109, § 1 repealed by Laws 2010, c. 2, § 89, emerg. eff. March 3, 2010.