BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                            



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                                    THIRD READING


          Bill No:  AB 1840
          Author:   Campos (D)
          Amended:  8/5/14 in Senate
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE  :  7-1, 6/18/14
          AYES:  Hernandez, Beall, DeSaulnier, Evans, Monning, Nielsen,  
            Wolk
          NOES:  Morrell
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  De León

           SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE  :  6-0, 6/25/14
          AYES:  Liu, Wyland, Correa, Hancock, Huff, Monning
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Block
           
          SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  Senate Rule 28.8
           
          ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  56-15, 5/23/14 - See last page for vote


           SUBJECT  :    Pupil health:  vision appraisal

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :    This bill clarifies that a childs vision is permitted  
          to be appraised by using an eye chart or any scientifically  
          validated photoscreening test.  This bill requires  
          photoscreening tests to be performed, under an agreement with,  
          or the supervision of, an optometrist or ophthalmologist, by the  
          school nurse or a trained individual who meets requirements  
          established by the Department of Education (CDE).
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           ANALYSIS  :    

          Existing law:

          1.Requires, upon first enrollment in a California school  
            district of a child at an elementary school, and at least  
            every third year thereafter until the child has completed the  
            eighth grade, a child's vision to be appraised by the school  
            nurse or other authorized person, as specified.  Requires  
            results of the appraisal to be entered in the health record of  
            the pupil.  Requires the vision appraisal to include tests for  
            visual acuity and color vision.  Requires color vision to be  
            appraised once and only on male children, beginning in the  
            first grade.

          2.Permits the vision appraisal to be waived, at the parent's  
            request, by presenting a certificate from a physician, a  
            physician assistant, or an optometrist providing the results  
            of a determination of the child's vision, including visual  
            acuity and color vision.  Provides an exemption to the  
            appraisal requirement to a child whose parents or guardian  
            file a written statement based on the faith or teachings of  
            any well-recognized religion.

          This bill:

          1.Permits a child's vision may be appraised by using an eye  
            chart or any scientifically validated photoscreening test. 

          2.Requires photoscreening tests to be performed, under an  
            agreement with, or the supervision of, an optometrist or  
            ophthalmologist, by the school nurse or a trained individual  
            who meets requirements established by the CDE.

          3.Makes other technical, clarifying changes.

           Comments
           
          According to the author's office, childhood vision disorders are  
          a prevalent and significant public health problem.  Yet there is  
          a significant lack of public awareness about the importance of  
          eye care in children and the inability of children to recognize  
          their own vision problems.  These problems are heightened in  

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          families from economically disadvantaged backgrounds by  
          financial hardship and lack of access to appropriate medical  
          care.  Furthermore, it is well recognized that vision screenings  
          are most effective when early identification and treatment of  
          many conditions can prevent irreversible vision damage or loss.   
          Early identification and correction of a vision disorder is an  
          essential part of a child's overall health and their ability to  
          learn.  While vision screening is a valuable public health  
          procedure, it is not a substitute for professional eye care.   
          Screening is the first step.  Currently, only eye charts are  
          used in preventive vision screenings.  Allowing students to get  
          vision screenings that use digital technology, alongside eye  
          charts, will help detect potential problems.  While eye charts  
          are a long-standing and proven method, technology has advanced  
          to the point that portable camera-like equipment has been  
          invented that can provide comprehensive and reliable analysis in  
          seconds.  These types of technologies can be used by any trained  
          individual and can provide a quick, mobile, and accurate  
          screening.  

           Vision problems in children  .  According to the National  
          Association of School Nurses (NASN), vision problems are the  
          fourth most prevalent class of disability in the United States  
          and one of the most prevalent conditions in childhood.  NASN  
          maintains that this is an extremely important statistic  
          considering that 80% of what children learn comes through their  
          visual processing of information.  According to the Centers for  
          Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), impaired vision can affect  
          a child's cognitive, emotional, neurologic and physical  
          development by potentially limiting the range of experiences and  
          kinds of information to which the child is exposed.  Despite the  
          importance of appropriate vision testing, the CDC reports that  
          nearly two in three children enter school without ever having  
          had a vision screening.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes    
          Local:  No

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  8/5/14)

          California Coverage & Health Initiatives
          Healthier Kids Foundation, Santa Clara County
          Prevent Blindness Northern California
          See Well to Learn

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           OPPOSITION  :    (Verified  8/5/14)

          American Academy of Pediatrics
          California Child Development Administrators
          California School Nurses Organization

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  56-15, 5/23/14
          AYES:  Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Bloom, Bocanegra, Bonta, Bradford,  
            Brown, Buchanan, Ian Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chesbro, Cooley,  
            Dababneh, Daly, Dickinson, Eggman, Fong, Fox, Frazier, Garcia,  
            Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Hall, Holden,  
            Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Medina,  
            Mullin, Nazarian, Nestande, Pan, Perea, John A. Pérez, Quirk,  
            Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Skinner,  
            Stone, Ting, Waldron, Weber, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada,  
            Atkins
          NOES:  Bigelow, Chávez, Conway, Dahle, Donnelly, Beth Gaines,  
            Grove, Hagman, Jones, Logue, Mansoor, Muratsuchi, Olsen,  
            Patterson, Wagner
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Achadjian, Bonilla, Gorell, Harkey, Roger  
            Hernández, Melendez, V. Manuel Pérez, Wilk, Vacancy


          JL:k  8/5/14   Senate Floor Analyses 

                           SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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