H 5089 Massachusetts House · 194th Legislature (2025-2026)

An Act to close the achievement gap by addressing disparities in children's vision

This bill creates a Children's Vision and Eye Health Advisory Council within the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to advise on vision programs and recommend improvements. It also establishes a statewide confidential registry where healthcare providers must report children's vision screening results and follow-up care, with strict privacy protections limiting data sharing to authorized healthcare providers, school nurses, and specific state agencies. The registry will track screening data to address vision disparities affecting students, particularly in underserved communities, and allow parents to correct errors or view access records. The law amends school health screening requirements to include this registry system.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 12, 2026 Last action Feb 12, 2026
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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
3
Key actions
2
Committee
2
Feb 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means
lower
Feb 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from the committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities
lower
0 primary · 12 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.