Bill > HB2992

This bill establishes a new state program to provide free vision care services to students from low-income schools or community organizations who have been identified as needing vision assistance. The Oregon Health Authority, in collaboration with the Department of Education and the Oregon Board of Optometry, will create a program that offers comprehensive eye examinations, new prescription eyeglasses, replacements for lost or broken glasses, and follow-up vision services at no cost to students or their families. The program targets students in schools with high poverty rates and will be implemented through approved nonprofit organizations. A new Eye Examination and Correction Fund will be created in the State Treasury, with an initial appropriation of $11 million, and the authority is allowed to seek additional funding from public and private sources. The bill requires detailed reporting on program outcomes, including the number of students and sites served, and mandates that grant decisions be made by April 1, 2026, with funding available to nonprofit organizations by May 1, 2026, in time for the 2026-2027 school year. The bill is declared an emergency measure, meaning it will take effect immediately upon passage, with the goal of addressing critical vision care needs among students experiencing poverty.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/HB2992