SCS/HB 401 - This act establishes programs for blind student literacy and newborn hearing screening.

BLIND STUDENT LITERACY - The Division of Special Education in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall establish a program to provide a blindness skills specialist at each regional, professional development center. The act specifies the duties of such specialists. The act creates the Blindness Skills Specialist Fund to be administered by the Division of Special Education. The fund shall be used to make blindness skills specialists available as required by the act.

A Task Force on Blind Student Academic and Vocational Performance shall be appointed by the Commissioner of Education to study and make recommendations and plans to improve instruction in blindness skills and improve blind student literacy.

The Division of Special Education shall conduct an annual study of the educational status of blind children and report the findings to the General Assembly by December 1 of each year.

The Division of Special Education shall develop a system of joint referral with Rehabilitation Services for the Blind. Children identified by a school district or the Division of Special Education as blind or visually-impaired shall be referred, with parental consent, to Rehabilitation Services for the Blind.

Public schools shall preferentially buy educational materials from vendors who make materials available in Braille or electronic format at no greater cost than regular materials.

NEWBORN HEARING SCREENING - This act requires hearing screenings for infants. After January 1, 2002, every infant born in a Missouri ambulatory surgical center or hospital must be given a screening for hearing loss before being released. If an infant is born in any other location, a hearing screening shall be given within 3 months of birth. Test results will be reported to parents and the Department of Health.

Anyone providing a hearing screening before January 1, 2002 should also report the results to the Department. This requirement will not apply to persons citing religious reasons. The physician shall provide educational materials to the parents of infants with hearing loss and the Department shall provide equipment and technical support to all facilities implementing this program.

The Department shall monitor and refer infants found to have hearing loss to the contact person with the First Steps Program within the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Such information shall be confidential, with exceptions. This act also establishes the "Newborn Hearing Screening Advisory Committee", which shall function for a two year period.

All insurance companies specified in the act shall provide coverage for newborn hearing screening, rescreenings, and audiological assessment and follow-up and initial amplification. Coverage shall also be provided for newborns who are eligible for medical assistance or the children's health program.

This act is substantially similar to SCS/SBs 320 & 445 (1999).
OTTO FAJEN