BILL ANALYSIS Ó ----------------------------------------------------------------- |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1840| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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). CONTINUED AB 1840 Page 2 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 CONTINUED AB 1840 Page 3 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 CONTINUED AB 1840 Page 4 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 **** END **** CONTINUED