H.B. 351 School Vision Screening Amendments

What this bill does

H.B. 351 would require schools to contact a family within 30 days after a child fails a vision screening, such as by email or phone, to check whether the family received the notice and needs help. It would also let nonprofits that contract with schools for screenings send one extra letter offering free follow-up care to families facing financial hardship.

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Every vote

• 14 yes, 0 no, 1 absentHouse Education Committee: Amendment Recommendation · Jan 30, 2026Who voted how
• 14 yes, 0 no, 1 absentHouse Education Committee: vote to approve it · Jan 30, 2026Who voted how
• 69 yes, 1 no, 5 absentFinal House vote · Feb 10, 2026
• 5 yes, 0 no, 2 absentSenate Education Committee: vote to approve it · Feb 18, 2026Who voted how
• 5 yes, 0 no, 2 absentSenate Education Committee: Consent Calendar Recommendation · Feb 18, 2026Who voted how
• 21 yes, 0 no, 8 absentFinal Senate vote · Feb 23, 2026

Hearings and debates

• Jan 30, 2026 House Education Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (19 turns)

  1. Chair Walter (presiding)3:24:13

     Our final bill is School Vision screening amendments. Uh, rep HB 3 51. Representative Wynn, thank you for being here.

  2. Rep. Hoang Nguyen3:24:20

     Thank you for waiting. It's always difficult to be the last on the agenda. You never know when you're gonna actually get, uh, your turn. So thank you for being patient with us today. Thank, thank you Mr. Chairman. Thank you for the, to the committee for still staying after. I know we're over time so I can be fast. If you guys can be fast here. This is, this is a very simple bill. Um, right now in statute, we already require schools to do vision screening. I am actually a beneficiary of, of doing vision screening when the kids are young in elementary school. Uh, and it was for myself caught early when I was in kindergarten. Right now, this bill, the only amendment we're doing, it does two things. First, when a child fails a vision screening, we already sent home a notice, uh, to the family to let them know that their child failed a vision screening. Uh, we want to make sure that the LEAs within 30 days of that failed vision screening. There is some kind of follow up that that does happen, uh, through and, and it's through email, through phone call just to make sure, did you see the notice? Is there any additional service you may need or any questions we may answer for you? I wanted to make sure that we close the gap on when a child feels their vision screening, that there is a couple of touchpoint to make sure that the families have that follow up. We can't force them to do follow up, but at least from our, um, from the school side of it knows that we are making sure the kids have that touchpoint, uh, to, uh, the family has that touchpoint. The other thing that the bill does right now in statute, and I think this is rightfully so, that anyone who is volunteering at the school like an optometrist to do the Vision G screening, they are not allowed to refer back to themselves any kind of businesses to make money off of it. And I agree with that. We are not doing anything with that part of the bill. However, where we are requiring, uh, schools to do vision screening for all kids, school nurses do not have the ability to be able to do all the screening in one school year right now. So they contract with nonprofits to be able to make sure they get through all the students to provide the vision screening. These nonprofits, um, do a great job and they have a lot of optometrists and other vendors who work and provide their service for free to students. This, uh, bill will also amend it to allow any nonprofits that currently contract with the LEA to provide the vision screening to be able to send home a supplementary notice to say if you, if your your child failed the vision screening. If you are having financial hardship and need further assistance, you can reach out to us so we can provide to the family at no cost that follow-up care. This is all the bill does. Um, at this point I do have here, um, Jamie, Jamie Justice with the friends for site who contracts with a lot of different LEAs around the schools as a nonprofit providing this vision screening at these tier one, uh, vision screening. And she can answer any follow up questions.

  3. Chair Walter (presiding)3:27:31

     Alright, thank you. Uh, we do have a couple of questions. Representative MacPherson.

  4. Rep. Matt MacPherson3:27:35

     Thank you Mr. Chair. And, uh, I will try to be brief though. I will, uh, point out I did not agendize this, uh, the massive list of bills today. You know, fair criticism, I'll, I'll accept responsibility for all eight bills. Thank you On the agenda. Thank you. Uh, a question line, uh, 1 21 through 1 25 on the nonprofit entities or, uh, that are contracts or that volunteer and the information that's sent out. I just want to make sure that we're very clear here. We're not, we're not allowing necessarily o other vendors that provide vision services for profit to send like a coupon or some sort of advertisement home to these parents through this process. Is that correct?

  5. Rep. Hoang Nguyen3:28:20

     That, that's absolutely correct. That's why the language says a nonprofit entity had contracts with an LEA. We wanted it to make sure that it was very narrow in the language that the nonprofit already has to have that contract in place with the LEA to be able to send home just that one supplemental flyer once the child fails the vision screening. This is not intended for the nonprofit, anyone to go and spam the families afterwards to try solicit any kind of, um, any kind of patients for them. Thank you. And, and to be clear then too, if I can ask, uh, when it says instructions on how to obtain follow-up care that's coming from the nonprofit, but that may include information for for profit entities on how to get vision care done, or would that be limited to just the nonprofit? It's limited to just that nonprofit that has the contract with the LEA to provide the no cost and that that was, you know, very, uh, discussed at length in this, that it's a no cost to families who, who need the financial help.

  6. Chair Walter (presiding)3:29:22speaker not certain

     Okay. Thank you. Thank You. Thank you for your question. All right. Uh, Representative Miller.

  7. Rep. Tracy Miller3:29:27speaker not certain

     Thank you Mr. Chair. On line 94, uh, actually line 92 says follow up with a parent through telephone or email. Um, would a communication system like Parent Square follow fit in telephone or email or would you be open to adding some language?

  8. Rep. Hoang Nguyen3:29:44

     Yes. So this particular section with the follow up for the 30 days, this was at the request of, um, the state school board because where we say we wanna close that loop right now in statute, there's nothing that says when or if they do close the loop. After that failed initial failed vision screening, I had actually discussed with the school board, 'cause my my kids' school uses Parent Square, can we use that as a communication tool to satisfy this part? And their, their concern with that was, not all schools use Parent Square. The intent of this is not to be punitive and make sure that schools are, were adding extra work to them. In, in my mind it is just as long as they have that second touch point after that initial letter that went out, whether it's a phone call, an email, parents square message that says we did follow up, I'm, uh, that will satisfy the intent of what's happening here. So under this language, if they, they can use parent square if the LEA uses it, Any approved electronic communication tools that the school is currently using.

  9. Rep. Tracy Miller3:30:48speaker not certain

     Okay. And then line 94, how, um, how do you confirm that a parent has received that telephone or email? We have a lot of parents that are really hard to get ahold of.

  10. Rep. Hoang Nguyen3:30:58

      Yeah. And then I, I know that does for families with different situations, it does provide some a, you know, hardship to be able to even not have access to email. Uh, I, I'm open to amending that and working on that. You know, if we can move it through, I think that's a easy enough change, a friendly enough change to make sure, like I said, this is not meant to be punitive and make extra work for administrators and school nurses. It's just to make sure we try to one more time to make sure that the family receive, they receive the notice and if they need any additional resources.

  11. Chair Walter (presiding)3:31:30

      Thank you. Alright, thank you. I see no further questions. Are there any members of the public to, uh, speak to this bill? Seeing none, uh, we'll go to the committee for action items. Representative MacPherson,

  12. Rep. Matt MacPherson3:31:46

      I'll just note there is an amendment online for this bill. The amendment was there in case, uh, we need to clarify, um, clarify, further clarify the, um, the nonprofit that contracts, that's only if, if the committee feels like we need to move that amendment. Um, as I look at this amendment, I think that does clarify what my question was. And so if you would be, uh, open to this as a friendly amendment, I would move it. I would be. Thank you. Um, then I do move amendment one and represented wind's name.

  13. Chair Walter (presiding)3:32:22

      Alright. The motion is to adopt amendment one to HB 3 51 school vision screening amendments. Would you like to speak to that motion?

  14. Rep. Matt MacPherson3:32:28

      Uh, I think this just clarifies that, that little concern that I asked in my question. So thank you for being proactive about it.

  15. Chair Walter (presiding)3:32:34

      Absolutely. All right. Uh, uh, to the committee. All right. To the sponsor, I waive. Waive. All right. The motion before us is to adopt the first amendment to HB 3 51 School vision screening amendments. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Aye. Thank you. Uh, we did get, we did get your vote representative Osier. Thank you. Uh, that passes unanimously. We're now to the bill as amended. Uh, Representative MacPherson, would you like to continue?

  16. Rep. Matt MacPherson3:33:02

      Yes, please. I move that we favorably recommend HB 3 51 school vision screening amendments as amended. Alright.

  17. Chair Walter (presiding)3:33:09

      The motion before us is to recommend a house bill 3 51 school vision screening amendments as amended.

  18. Rep. Matt MacPherson3:33:14

      Would you like to speak to that motion? I'll Waive, Uh, to the committee.

  19. Chair Walter (presiding)3:33:19

      I'm seeing no lights to the sponsor. I'll waive. Thank you. Back to the maker waive. Alright. The motion before us is to recommend favorably house bill 3 51 school vision screening amendments as amended. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? None. That passes unanimously. Thank you to the members of the committee. That concludes our business today. Uh, thank you for sticking out through a long committee agenda. I'll take responsibility for the agenda items. Uh, duly noted. Thank you. All swear efficient. Uh, I'll accept a final motion. Motion do adjourn. I have four motions To adjourn in favor, please say aye. Aye. All right. We're adjourned. We did good. We're only a few minutes after. We did very well. You guys did very, very well today.

• Feb 10, 2026 House floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (19 turns)

  1. Unknown speaker1:19:46speaker not certain

     House Bill 3 51 School Vision Screening amendments by Representative Wynn. This bill was heard in education with the vote of 14 0 1

  2. Speaker (presiding)1:19:56

     Representative Winn.

  3. Rep. Hoang Nguyen1:19:58

     Thank you Mrs. Speaker. Currently in statute we require public schools to conduct tier one vision screenings for students each year with over 600,000 students currently enrolled in public schools. Department of Health and Human Services are in charge of conducting these vision screenings. They contract with different organizations such as nonprofits to co to complete these vision screenings. HB 33 51 does two things. This bill clarifies the requirement on when and how LEAs would notify guardians if their students failed their vision screening representative

  4. Speaker (presiding)1:20:34

     Wynn, hold on just a minute please. Representative Thurston state your point.

  5. Rep. Norman K Thurston1:20:38

     Uh, we should not be reading our statements. Prepared statements. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

  6. Speaker (presiding)1:20:41

     Thank you Representative Thurston. Representative Wynn. It's okay to look at your notes. Uh, just please don't read verbatim from your notes. Thank you, representative Wynn. Go ahead.

  7. Rep. Hoang Nguyen1:20:51

     So HB 3 51 does two things. First, it allows, it clarifies when and how LEAs will notify families when there are students fail the vision screening. And second, it will allow nonprofits that are current currently contracted with LEAs to send home a letter to students who felt their vision screening to give them more information on how to follow up on care, um, and follow up on the care at no cost if needed by the family. This bill will ensure that families and students who have the need to have that follow up care that families who have financial hardship will be able to get the care that they need for their students. That is how the bill does.

  8. Speaker (presiding)1:21:36

     Thank you Representative Wynn. Further discussion or discussion to the bill Representative Miller, Tracy Millard.

  9. Rep. Tracy Miller1:21:43

     Uh, thank you Mr. Speaker. I move amendment two.

  10. Speaker (presiding)1:21:50

      Thank you Representative. I have that amendment, amendment two in your name. Uh, would you like to speak to that?

  11. Rep. Tracy Miller1:21:57

      Uh, yes. Amendment two, just on line 92, clarify some of the language about notifying um, the parent through any way, any method that the LEA um, approves. Um, so this would allow for mail or also an electronic notification such as Parent Square. And then it deletes the lines about confirming, um, with parents and determining because try as they might, some, uh, parents never respond and it's hard to ensure that every single parent has, has, um, confirmed notice of that. So, and appreciate, um, the sponsor for working with me on this.

  12. Speaker (presiding)1:22:34

      Thank you Representative Miller. Representative Wynn on the motion to amend or adopt amendment number two.

  13. Rep. Hoang Nguyen1:22:41

      This is a friendly amendment and I appreciate the representative looking at it and making it better.

  14. Speaker (presiding)1:22:47

      Thank you, representative. When, uh, further discussion, uh, to the motion to adopt amendment number two on under, uh, representative Miller's name on HP 3 51. Seen none. We'll go ahead and place the motion. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Rule that motion passes. The bill has been amended and before the body for further consideration for further debate. See none. Back to your Representative, Gwynn

  15. Rep. Hoang Nguyen1:23:18

      for summation. I'll Waive. Thank

  16. Speaker (presiding)1:23:19

      You. Summation has been wad voting will now be open on HB 3 51. Representative.

  17. Speaker (presiding)1:24:17

      Seeing all present having voted voting is now closed. HB 3 51 passes this body with 69 Yes votes one, no vote be sent to the Senate for its consideration.

  18. Speaker (presiding)1:24:25

      Representative Pucci

  19. Speaker (presiding)1:24:34

      Thank you representative. That motion is an order. Would like to speak to it?

• Feb 18, 2026 Senate Education Committee▶ Watch
  Transcript (18 turns)

  1. Chair Johnson1:17:53

     Okay. So I noticed representative wins here. Do you wanna come present your bill? Senator Baldry had another, uh, person that was going to be here, so we're just gonna put hers off slightly and hopefully, uh, Can you see me okay? But, uh, we're looking at HB 3 51 School Vision Screening amendments. Thank you, representative Wynn. Go ahead.

  2. Rep. Hoang Nguyen1:18:21

     Thank you, Mr. Chair and Thinking committee. Hopefully this one will move a lot faster for you guys here. Um, HB 33 51, a school vision screening amendment. It's a simple bill. It does two things. Well, let me give a little context. Right now. As many of you know, in schools, we require children to get a tier one vision screening, which is a great thing. That's where we're able to, for a lot of families. Some of these kids is their first vision screening ever, and we're able to catch kids early on to see and diagnose if there is a potential issue, uh, where we mandate our schools to do this. School nurses are not able to conduct all of the vision screenings, so they outsource. And right now, they are using a nonprofit that does over 57,000 vision screenings annually. Um, there's a provision where people who come in to volunteer to perform these vision screenings are not allowed to refer back to themselves, which makes sense. It's for, um, private, for-profit optometrists, providers to not be able to volunteer and to come make money. However, where we currently are using true non-profits at no cost to be able to do these tier one vision screenings, um, this statute currently does not allow them to let parents know that if your child failed a vision screening, there are options for them to be able to close the loop and have follow up care at no cost. So what this bill does is two things. One, it, first, it requires, uh, schools to let parents know informed parents within 30 days of their children failing a vision screening. Second, it allows these nonprofits who are currently contracted with LEAs to be able to also send home a letter, not multiple letters, just, you know, ideally it's the same day that the child fails a vision screening that has information that says your child failed the vision screening. In the event that you, uh, ha have the need for, for, um, help financially to cover the follow-up care. This is where you can call to get help. So that's all the bill does. Um, I think this is something, when I spoke with the Optometrist Association, they said this was long overdue to make sure that we do close that loop to ensure that kids have that follow up care, especially families who may not have health insurance, may not have the means to be able to get the, uh, vision screening, the follow up vision screening that they need. This will hopefully be a better way to make sure that those kids get it. And that is my presentation.

  3. Sen. David P. Hinkins1:21:00

     Okay. Thank you for your presentation. Uh, anyone from the committee who'd like to make a comment or seeing none, anybody from the, uh, audience would like to please come forward and say who you are and who you're with, and make sure you sign the register so we have the, your correct spelling for the minutes.

  4. Julia DeLeeuw, Friends for Sight1:21:22

     Hi, my name is Julia Delio, and I represent Friends for Sight. The nonprofit, um, friends for Sight comes to, um, public schools, preschools and charter schools with trained vision screening volunteers and helps school nurses conduct tens of thousands of school-wide vision screenings across the state of Utah. About one in five students do not pass. 98% of those students who do not pass a vision screening need glasses or have a more serious vision issued, like lazy eye blindness or tumors. We've even had kids with parasites we've found in their eyes. Um, for these Utah kids, everything depends on what happens next in their full circle of vision care. And that step is the notification process. And right now it's being jammed, jammed up unnecessarily. After we identify that a student needs follow-up care, our flyer notification can't be utilized by schools to send a notification home from our organization, clearly explaining what care their child received from us, what we found, and how families can access the next step of vision care that is already available to them at no cost, even though we do not make any profit from any of our continued vision care services to them. So the circle of vision care breaks here. Currently, 70% of Utah students who fail a vision screening never receive the glasses they are needing for school. 70%. That is a shocking number. Among other barriers, we believe streamlining clear communication and improving the notification process will reduce this percentage. Friends for site nonprofit already provides the full circle of vision care. We provide vision screenings for students. We provide a clear direct notification flyer for next steps. We provide comprehensive eye exams, we provide prescription glasses, and we even deliver and adjust those glasses at the child's school at all of it. At no cost of families facing financial barriers. Without vision insurance, we do not profit from this notification, um, or our services at any point. Um, the flyer we are asking to send home is not advertising. It is a resource for continued care. Um, FB 3 51 simply allows nonprofit providers like friends for site to complete the circle of care. We already began without commercial promotion, without profit, and without cost of families. This bill protects students while ensuring that when we identify a need, we can also help meet it. Um, we respectfully ask for your support. So Utah students don't fall through the cracks between screening and the glasses they are waiting on for school. Thank you.

  5. Chair Johnson1:24:07

     Thank you. Any other comments? Seeing none, we're gonna come back to the committee.

  6. Sen. Kathleen A. Riebe1:24:13

     Senator Riebe, you had your light on? Yes, I do. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I love this bill. Uh, when I was a teacher, I did not know that ice cream was how you called this test. We called it vision testing. So, uh, my kids were asked to come down for ice cream, and I thought it was ice cream. I am not kidding with this story. And my kids were not happy when they showed up and they saw there was no ice cream. So, uh, I love that story, but I also love this bill. So I would like to make a motion to send out HB 3 51 school vision screening amendments out with a favorable recommendation.

  7. Chair Johnson1:24:51

     Okay, so the motion is to, uh, send out HB 3 51 with favorable recommendation, uh, discussion on that. Senator Baldry,

  8. Sen. Heidi Balderree1:24:59

     you've got your light on. I was going to make the Motion, but she'd beat me to it.

  9. Chair Johnson1:25:03

     Okay. And so, any discussion to the motion? Seeing none, we're gonna come back to the bill sponsor for, uh, summation.

  10. Rep. Hoang Nguyen1:25:12

      I'll waive. Thank you. Senator Riebe?

  11. Sen. Kathleen A. Riebe1:25:16

      Yes. Thank you for bringing this bill. It is so important. I, I mean, I taught fifth and sixth grade and I had kids in my class that couldn't see the board and no one knew. And so having high mobility, having kids that aren't both of my kids benefited from this vision test. So I really do appreciate this bill. It is so important and it doesn't really cost a lot to notify people where they can get some help. So thank you so much for running this bill. Thank you, Senator.

  12. Chair Johnson1:25:38

      Thank you. So, uh, we'll, uh, place the motion, uh, all in favor of sending out HB 3 51 school vision screening amendments with a favorable recommendation. Say aye. Aye. Any a opposed? Aye. And the chair rules? That is unanimous. Thank you very much. Thank

  13. Sen. Kathleen A. Riebe1:25:56

      You. Committee. May I make a motion to put this on the consent agenda?

  14. Chair Johnson1:26:00

      If the sponsor would like that,

  15. Rep. Hoang Nguyen1:26:02

      That would be terrific. Thank you so much. Thank you.

  16. Chair Johnson1:26:05

      Okay, so the motion is to place this on consent. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Mike, did you vote? I

  17. Unknown speaker1:26:17speaker not certain

      Was. Aye. Okay.

  18. Chair Johnson1:26:18

      Alright. Yeah. So the chair rules that as unanimous. We'll place that on consent. Thank you. Thank you Everyone.

• Feb 23, 2026 Senate floor debate▶ Watch
  Transcript (5 turns)

  1. Sen. Luz Escamilla9:47

     And, um, this bill is a simple, uh, cleanup of the original intent of this bill. And as a result, currently our schools and nonprofits cannot directly inform families when there's actually free exam or glasses when it comes to, um, you know, vision screenings, which have, we've worked for years to make sure more kiddos have access to vision screening. So what this bill will do is, um, because it restricts information sharing, it will just allow for the, the nonprofits that are allowing and helping families that they can just inform the, the, the families that they can get free exams and also potentially even free glasses. That's what, that's all the bill does. And I'm open for, oh no, it's consent. So with that, I call the question Mr. President Pro Temp.

  2. Presiding officer10:38

     Thank you. Uh, the question is, shall house bill three fifty one pass roll call vote.

  3. Senate clerk10:43

     Senator Spery Aye. Lewin Brammer Bus A Colmore Escamilla Fillmore Grover Harper Aye. Kins Ipson Aye. Johnson Juab McKay. Aye. Macl Milner Musselman Owens Pitcher Plum Rebe Sandal Sandal Aye. Stevenson Stratton Vickers Aye. Weiler Aye. Wilson. Aye. Winterton Rebe Aye.

  4. Sen. J. Stuart Adams (presiding)11:43

     President Adams House Bill 3 51 Having received 21 na votes, zero na votes eight being absent passes Senate be signed by the President and return to the house for the signature of the speaker house.

  5. Sen. J. Stuart Adams (presiding)12:20

     Alright. Now we don't have, okay. Seeing no more consent, we'll move to the third reading calendar.