Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 4 R · 2 D cosponsors

SB 720 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in school health services, providing for initial vision examination.

Last action — Corrective Reprint, Printer's No. 1806

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced May 02, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 62% · high confidence

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 6 sponsors

    1 primary, 5 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (4 R · 2 D) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

In plain language

The bill requires initial vision examinations for students in public schools.

This legislation amends the Public School Code to include mandatory initial vision exams for students. It aims to ensure that students' vision health is assessed as part of school health services.

What this means for you
  • Families: This means that your children will undergo vision exams as part of their school health services.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

198 added · 197 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest version of Bill SB 720 now requires that children present certification from an ophthalmologist or optometrist rather than a primary care provider or trained vision screener before starting school. This change emphasizes the importance of thorough eye health examinations and ensures that a child's vision is assessed by specialists, which can lead to better identification of vision problems. By prioritizing comprehensive eye exams, the bill aims to enhance the overall health and learning readiness of students.

→
Previous
Latest
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.
CORRECTIVE REPRINT PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS.
733 PRINTER'S NO.
733, 1802 PRINTER'S NO.
1802 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE BILL Session of No.
1806 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE BILL Session of No.
720 2025 INTRODUCED BY GEBHARD, PENNYCUICK, LAUGHLIN, SCHWANK, HAYWOOD AND LANGERHOLC, MAY 2, 2025 SENATOR CULVER, EDUCATION, AS AMENDED, JUNE 9, 2026 AN ACT Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An act relating to the public school system, including certain provisions applicable as well to private and parochial schools;
720 2025 INTRODUCED BY GEBHARD, PENNYCUICK, LAUGHLIN, SCHWANK, HAYWOOD AND LANGERHOLC, MAY 2, 2025 SENATOR CULVER, EDUCATION, AS AMENDED, JUNE 9, 2026 AN ACT Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An act relating to the public school system, including certain provisions applicable as well to private and parochial laws relating thereto," in school health services, furthere <-- providing for health services and for vision screening and examinations, providing for eye health and vision examinations and further providing for examinations by examiners of own choice.
amending, revising, consolidating and changing the providing for health services and for vision screening and <-- examinations, providing for eye health and vision examinations and further providing for examinations by examiners of own choice.
* * * (b) (1) [Every] Except as provided under section 1403.2, 20250SB0720PN1802 - 2 - every school year at a school entity or nonpublic school, until a child completes the fifth grade and at least every two years thereafter until the child graduates from the twelfth grade, the child shall have a vision screening performed by school health personnel or screeners with specific training in vision screening techniques and protocols approved by the Department of Health.
* * * 20250SB0720PN1806 - 2 - (b) (1) [Every] Except as provided under section 1403.2, every school year at a school entity or nonpublic school, until a child completes the fifth grade and at least every two years thereafter until the child graduates from the twelfth grade, the child shall have a vision screening performed by school health personnel or screeners with specific training in vision screening techniques and protocols approved by the Department of Health.
(v) Recommended educational adjustments for the child, if any, which may include preferential seating in the classroom, eyeglasses for full-time use in school, eyeglasses for part-time 20250SB0720PN1802 - 3 - use in school, sight-saving eyeglasses or any other recommendations.
(v) Recommended educational adjustments for the child, if any, which may include preferential seating in the classroom, 20250SB0720PN1806 - 3 - eyeglasses for full-time use in school, eyeglasses for part-time use in school, sight-saving eyeglasses or any other recommendations.
(c) A school district or joint school board may institute an eye health and vision examination program for children of school 20250SB0720PN1802 - 4 - age.
(c) A school district or joint school board may institute an 20250SB0720PN1806 - 4 - eye health and vision examination program for children of school age.
Section 5.
20250SB0720PN1806 - 5 - Section 5.
20250SB0720PN1802 - 5 - SECTION 1.
SECTION 1.
(3) NAME OF THE CHILD'S SCHOOL.
20250SB0720PN1806 - 6 - (3) NAME OF THE CHILD'S SCHOOL.
20250SB0720PN1802 - 6 - (4) A SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS, INCLUDING BEST CORRECTED VISUAL ACUITY, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, PROGNOSIS AND WHETHER OR NOT A RETURN VISIT IS RECOMMENDED AND, IF SO, WHEN.
(4) A SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS, INCLUDING BEST CORRECTED VISUAL ACUITY, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, PROGNOSIS AND WHETHER OR NOT A RETURN VISIT IS RECOMMENDED AND, IF SO, WHEN.
"NONPUBLIC SCHOOL." A SCHOOL, OTHER THAN A PUBLIC SCHOOL WITHIN THIS COMMONWEALTH, IN WHICH A RESIDENT OF THIS COMMONWEALTH MAY LEGALLY FULFILL THE COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS ACT AND WHICH MEETS THE 20250SB0720PN1802 - 7 - REQUIREMENTS OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 (PUBLIC LAW 88-352, 78 STAT.
"NONPUBLIC SCHOOL." A SCHOOL, OTHER THAN A PUBLIC SCHOOL WITHIN THIS COMMONWEALTH, IN WHICH A RESIDENT OF THIS COMMONWEALTH MAY LEGALLY FULFILL THE COMPULSORY SCHOOL 20250SB0720PN1806 - 7 - ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS ACT AND WHICH MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 (PUBLIC LAW 88-352, 78 STAT.
241 ????).
241).
"SCHOOL ENTITY." A SCHOOL DISTRICT, CHARTER SCHOOL, REGIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL, CYBER CHARTER SCHOOL, INTERMEDIATE UNIT OR AREA CAREER AND TECHNICAL SCHOOL.
◄ "SCHOOL ENTITY." A SCHOOL DISTRICT, CHARTER SCHOOL, REGIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL, CYBER CHARTER SCHOOL, INTERMEDIATE UNIT OR AREA CAREER AND TECHNICAL SCHOOL.
20250SB0720PN1802 - 8 -
20250SB0720PN1806 - 8 -
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (3)

Action History

  1. Corrective Reprint, Printer's No. 1806

  2. First consideration

  3. Reported as amended

  4. Referred to Education

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 5 co-sponsors · 247 not signed on · 3 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (5)

Not signed on (247)

247 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 247 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Committee vote (Education): Reported as Amended

Passed 7 Yea · 3 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 7000
Democratic 0300
Unaffiliated 0001
Total 7301
% of votes cast 64%27%0%9%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Anthony Williams — Not Voting
Carolyn T. Comitta Democratic Nay
Lindsey M. Williams Democratic Nay
Timothy P. Kearney Democratic Nay
David G. Argall Republican Yea
Dawn W. Keefer Republican Yea
Doug Mastriano Republican Yea
Greg Rothman Republican Yea
Jarrett Coleman Republican Yea
Kim L. Ward Republican Yea
Lynda Schlegel Culver Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Committee vote (Education): Adopt Amendment

Passed 7 Yea · 3 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 7000
Democratic 0300
Unaffiliated 0001
Total 7301
% of votes cast 64%27%0%9%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Anthony Williams — Not Voting
Carolyn T. Comitta Democratic Nay
Lindsey M. Williams Democratic Nay
Timothy P. Kearney Democratic Nay
David G. Argall Republican Yea
Dawn W. Keefer Republican Yea
Doug Mastriano Republican Yea
Greg Rothman Republican Yea
Jarrett Coleman Republican Yea
Kim L. Ward Republican Yea
Lynda Schlegel Culver Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

healthcare education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 720?
SB 720 is sponsored by Chris Gebhard (Republican), Tracy Pennycuick (Republican), Daniel Laughlin (Republican), Judith L. Schwank (Democratic), Art Haywood (Democratic), and Wayne Langerholc (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 720?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced May 02, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 720?
Track SB 720 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on SB 720

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of SB 720

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →