PRINTER'S NO. 3010
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2118
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY ZIMMERMAN, FREEMAN, D. MILLER, McNEILL, PICKETT,
MERSKI, BOBACK, MILLARD, RAPP, HOWARD, STRUZZI, STURLA,
DeLUCA, CIRESI, BURNS, DIAMOND, MACKENZIE, KULIK, JAMES,
TOOHIL, MARSHALL, MARKOSEK, DOWLING, READSHAW, COOK, FRITZ,
SAYLOR, BENNINGHOFF, BRIGGS, OWLETT AND MEHAFFIE,
DECEMBER 10, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, DECEMBER 10, 2019
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in school health services, providing
for eye health examinations.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 1403.1. E ye Health Examinations.--(a) Except as
provided under subsections (c) and (e), children of school age
in this Commonwealth shall be given an eye health examination:
(1) upon admission to school;
(2) while in the fourth grade;
(3) while in the eighth grade;
(4) as part of the evaluation of and prior to the student
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becoming subject to section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973 (Public Law 93-112, 29 U.S.C. § 794 ) ;
(5) as part of the evaluation of and prior to the student's
enrollment in a Title I reading program as defined by Title I of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Public Law
89-10, 20 U.S.C. § 6301 et seq.); and
(6) as part of the evaluation of and prior to the student's
inclusion in an IEP .
(b) A school district or joint school board that institutes
an eye health examination program under subsection (c) shall be
exempt from providing eye health examinations as required under
subsection (a).
(c) A school district or joint school board may institute an
eye health examination program for children of school age.
Before a school district or joint school board institutes an eye
health examination program under this subsection, the program
shall be approved by the Secretary of Health.
(d) The parent or guardian of a child of school age shall
submit evidence that the child received an eye health
examination in accordance with subsection (a).
(e) This section shall not apply to a child who is not
enrolled in a public school.
(f) As used in this section, " eye health examination" means
an evaluation performed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist
that includes all of the following:
(1) An evaluation of vision history.
(2) An external and internal ophthalmic examination.
(3) An assessment of vision acuity, ocular alignment and
motility and refraction.
(4) An assessment of accommodation and binocular vision.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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