Bill Text: DE HB382 | 2023-2024 | 152nd General Assembly | Draft

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Bill Title: An Act To Amend Title 14 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Vision Screening.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-3)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-05-23 - Assigned to Education Committee in Senate [HB382 Detail]

Download: Delaware-2023-HB382-Draft.html

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SPONSOR:	Rep. Heffernan & Sen. Sturgeon
Reps. Gray, Matthews, Morrison, Parker Selby; Sen. Lawson

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 382

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO VISION SCREENING.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend Chapter 41, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 4149. Vision screening.

(a) For purposes of this section, “vision screening” means a screening performed by the school nurse or other qualified healthcare professional in accordance with the Delaware School Nurse Manual. “Vision screening” includes a test for color blindness.

(b) Each school district and charter school must provide a vision screening to each student enrolled in kindergarten. Students in subsequent grade levels shall receive vision screenings at appropriate intervals to be determined by the Department. All new students to a district or charter school must receive a vision screening in a non-testing year if there is no record of a vision screening in the student’s electronic health record.

(c) The school shall record the results of the vision screening within the student’s electronic health record.

(d) If a student fails a vision screening, the school must notify the student’s parent, guardian, or relative caregiver.

Section 2. This Act takes effect on September 1, 2024.

SYNOPSIS

This Act requires that public school students receive a vision screening, including a test for color blindness, in kindergarten. Students must also receive vision screenings at appropriate intervals in grades 1 through 12, to be determined by the DOE.