Bill
Bill > HB1402
GA HB1402
GA HB1402Education; vision and hearing screening for all public school students enrolled in pre-kindergarten through third grade; require
summary
Introduced
02/19/2026
02/19/2026
In Committee
03/06/2026
03/06/2026
Crossed Over
03/04/2026
03/04/2026
Passed
Dead
04/02/2026
04/02/2026
Introduced Session
2025-2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
AN ACT To amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating elementary and secondary education, so as to require vision and hearing screening for all public school students enrolled in pre-kindergarten through third grade; to require advance notification to parents and guardians; to provide for parents and guardians to opt their children out of such screenings; to require notification to parents and guardians of children who fail one or both screenings; to require local school systems and other public schools to report information to the Department of Public Health; to require the Department of Public Health to annually report such information to the General Assembly; to require the Department of Public Health to provide training to school personnel and others to administer such screening; to require the Department of Public Health, in collaboration with the State Board of Education, to promulgate policies, rules, and regulations; to provide for grants to local school systems to acquire screening equipment; to require the Department of Education to administer such grants; to provide for written notification to parents and guardians of students who have not attained grade level reading proficiency by the end of third grade; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
AI Summary
This bill mandates vision and hearing screenings for all public school students from pre-kindergarten through third grade, with screenings to be conducted at schools by trained personnel or through qualified third-party organizations. Parents and guardians will receive advance notice of these screenings and have the option to opt their children out, though prior approval is not required. If a child fails either screening, their parents or guardians will be notified, and local school systems must report detailed screening data to the Department of Public Health (DPH). The DPH will provide training for school personnel, annually report aggregated data to the General Assembly, and establish necessary policies and regulations. Additionally, the bill allocates grants, administered by the Department of Education, of up to $15,000 per school system to purchase necessary vision and hearing screening equipment, which must meet specific technical standards. Finally, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, schools must also provide written notification to parents or guardians of third-grade students who do not achieve grade-level reading proficiency.
Committee Categories
Education, Health and Social Services
Sponsors (6)
Bethany Ballard (R)*,
Jon Burns (R)*,
Sandy Donatucci (R)*,
Chris Erwin (R)*,
Leesa Hagan (R)*,
Carmen Rice (R)*,
Last Action
Senate Read and Referred (on 03/06/2026)
Bill Topics
Education
- ‐ Elementary and Secondary Education
Health
- ‐ Disease Prevention
- ‐ Infants and Children
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location | Created |
|---|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73444 | 02/19/2026 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/244993 | 03/04/2026 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/244454 | 02/27/2026 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/243329 | 02/19/2026 |
Loading...