HB 2967 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to vision screenings for public and private school students, including vision screening information reporting for public school students, and to the creation of a vision care grant program for certain students.

HB 2967 requires Texas public and private schools to conduct vision screenings for students and report detailed data on vision disorders to the state by May 31 each year. It creates a new $75 annual grant per eligible student (defined as educationally disadvantaged students identified with vision issues) to cover vision care costs like eye exams and glasses. School districts must use these funds to pay for vision care services or reimburse parents, without replacing existing funding. The bill also updates screening methods to allow photoscreening and electronic eye charts. This law directly affects students in Texas public schools who need vision care and their school districts.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 20, 2025 Last action May 7, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 6 edits · May 7, 2025
MODERATE
The bill was significantly restructured to add two new sections (38.0351 and 38.0352) that create a grant program for vision care and establish a data management system. The original allotment funding of $75 per eligible student was replaced with a grant program, and the reporting requirements were expanded to include additional data points like the type of screening equipment used and the specific vision disorder identified.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded from primarily reporting and allotment funding to include a new grant program for vision care services and a new requirement for acquiring a third-party data management system.
FISCAL

Replaced the fixed $75 per student allotment with a new grant program that covers screening costs and vision care provision for eligible students.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for the agency to acquire and maintain a third-party data management system to facilitate reporting and maintain information.

Expanded vision screening reporting requirements to include the type of screening equipment used and the specific vision disorder identified.

Added new reporting requirements for the health and safety code form to include information about potential eligibility for child health plan benefits.

TIMELINE

Changed the rule adoption deadline from 'as soon as practicable' to 'not later than December 1, 2025' for implementing the new sections.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'vision care' to explicitly include corrective visual devices dispensed under a prescription.

Floor votes · House May 6, 2025

How they voted

12311
Passed · 13 other
Total votes 147
May 6, 2025
D Democratic60
53 Yea 7
88% Yea
R Republican87
70 Yea 11 Nay 6
80% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
28
Key actions
9
Committee
6
Amendments
3
May 7, 2025
Introduced
Received from the House
upper
May 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed
lower
May 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed to engrossment as amended
lower
May 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amended
lower
May 6, 2025
Introduced
Amendment(s) offered
lower
May 6, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (123-11-13)
house
Apr 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report sent to Calendars
lower
Apr 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report distributed
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
lower
Apr 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Left pending in committee
lower
Apr 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
lower
Mar 20, 2025
Committee
Referred to Public Education
lower
Mar 20, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors