Senate Bill 0148

    Florida Senate - 1999                                   SB 148

    By Senator Cowin





    11-392-99

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to school-entry health and

  3         vision examinations; amending s. 232.0315,

  4         F.S.; requiring children who enter public or

  5         nonpublic schools in this state to present

  6         evidence of having received a comprehensive

  7         vision examination; providing an exemption;

  8         deleting provisions relating to rulemaking

  9         authority with respect to medical examinations;

10         providing an effective date.

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12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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14         Section 1.  Section 232.0315, Florida Statutes, is

15  amended to read:

16         232.0315  School-entry health examinations.--

17         (1)  The school board of each district and the

18  governing authority of each nonpublic school shall require

19  that each child who is entitled to admittance to

20  prekindergarten or kindergarten, or is entitled to any other

21  initial entrance into a public or nonpublic school in this

22  state, present a certification of a school-entry health

23  examination and a certification of a school-entry

24  comprehensive vision examination and analysis performed within

25  1 year prior to enrollment in school.  The school board of

26  each district, and the governing authority of each nonpublic

27  school, may establish a policy which permits a student up to

28  30 school days to present a certification of a school-entry

29  health examination and up to 120 days to present a

30  certification of a school-entry comprehensive vision

31  examination and analysis.  Any school board that which

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 1999                                   SB 148
    11-392-99




  1  establishes such a policy shall include provisions in its

  2  local school health services plan to assist students in

  3  obtaining the health and vision examinations.  However, any

  4  child shall be exempt from the examinations requirement of a

  5  health examination upon written request of the parent or

  6  guardian of such child stating objections to such examination

  7  on religious grounds.

  8         (2)  The Department of Education, subject to the

  9  concurrence of the Department of Health and Rehabilitative

10  Services, shall adopt rules to govern medical examinations

11  performed under this section.

12         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.

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15                          SENATE SUMMARY

16    Requires children who are entering public or nonpublic
      schools in this state to present evidence of having
17    received a comprehensive vision examination. Provides an
      exemption if the child's parent or guardian objects in
18    writing on religious grounds. Deletes provisions relating
      to rulemaking authority with respect to medical
19    examinations.

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