Please join CVMA in support of H2231 – An Act improving child eye health – championed by Representatives Christine Barber and Sean Garballey; and S136 – An Act improving child eye care – championed by Senator Michael Moore. Both bills are now under consideration by the Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing. If approved these bills can begin to permanently address the inequities in identification and access to eye care for children across the state. Your voice counts! Please write your letter of support or download the template letter provided.
TWO new children’s vision bills have been presented to this legislative session: H2231: “An Act improving child eye health” sponsored by Representative Christine Barber and Representative Sean Garballey, and S.136: “An Act improving child eye care” sponsored by Senator Michael Moore
Both follow the work of the Special Commission on Children’s Vision and Eye Health whose recommendations which have been released in January 2022. These bills reflect a next step to ensure an equitable state system is built to support early identification of children’s vision disorders, further evaluation through eye care, and consistency in follow-up care.
Enactment of H2231 or S.136 would:
1. Establish a Children’s Vision and Eye Health Advisory Council within the Department of Public Health (DPH): which would be annually accountable to the state legislature. The council would advise the DPH in establishment, maintenance, operation and evaluation of children’s vision across the state. A systematic approach to vision and eye health is one of the fundamental missions of CVMA, and the forming of this council would be the foundational beginning.
2. Establish mandated reporting within DPH: to which licensed providers of vision screening and eyecare would have access.
3. Expand the vision law of 2004 to ensure all preschool children, ages 3 years and older, receive a vision screening (click here for the law with proposed changes)
YOU CAN HELP by calling YOUR own local Representative and Senator’s offices: Legislators and their staff rely on their constituents to inform them. Hearing your child’s or your vision story, why you are concerned about children’s vision, and why you support these bills, will make an impact. Ask for your legislator’s support of these bills. For a Representative office, refer to the House Bill 2231; for a Senator office, refer to the Senate Bill S.136. For questions please contact [email protected] or visit https://childrensvision.preventblindness.org/resources-for-legislators/
To find out your legislator, click here
For talking points, click here.
Click here for the H2231 and S136 fact sheet.