Ruiz, Lopez Respond to Eye Exam CV Justification

Trenton – Senate President Pro Tempore M. Teresa Ruiz and Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez issued the following statement in response to the Administration’s justification for proposed changes to legislation which would require children entering public school or Head Start Programs to receive a comprehensive eye exam:

“The Administration cited the cost of comprehensive eye exams as their primary concern with the bill. We share in the financial concerns and that is why we searched diligently to find means to offset the cost and why we included not one, but two measures to address it. The Administration claims the bill fails to identify a reliable source of funding but annual appropriations are not unreliable. All state programs rely on annual appropriations and the legislature is more than willing to pursue supplemental appropriations for this year. To reduce the cost incurred by the state, the bill requires the creation of a database outlining organizations and businesses which offer free or reduced-price eye exams for children. The list would be distributed to all preschools, public schools and Head Start Programs to ensure families are aware of where to go if their insurance does not cover the exams.”