2003 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 26 – Blind, definitions

HOUSE BILL NO. 26

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Daily Data Tracking History



H0026...........................................................by MR. SPEAKER
         Requested by: Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
BLIND - DEFINITIONS - Amends existing law to revise the definition of "blind"
or "visually impaired"; and to provide a definition of "functionally blind."
                                                                        
01/06    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
    Rpt prt - to Health/Wel
02/13    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
02/14    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
02/19    3rd rdg - PASSED - 67-0-3
      AYES -- Andersen, Barraclough, Barrett, Bauer, Bedke, Bell, Bieter,
      Black, Block, Boe, Bolz, Bradford, Campbell, Cannon, Clark, Collins,
      Crow, Cuddy, Deal, Denney, Douglas, Eberle, Edmunson, Ellsworth,
      Eskridge, Field(18), Field(23), Gagner, Garrett, Harwood, Henbest,
      Jones, Kellogg, Kulczyk, Lake, Langford, Langhorst, Martinez, McGeachin,
      McKague, Meyer, Miller, Mitchell, Moyle, Naccarato, Nielsen, Raybould,
      Ridinger, Ring, Ringo, Roberts, Robison, Sali, Sayler,
      Schaefer(Schaefer), Shepherd, Shirley, Skippen, Smith(30), Smith(24),
      Smylie, Snodgrass, Stevenson, Tilman, Trail, Wills, Wood
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- Jaquet, Rydalch, Mr. Speaker
    Floor Sponsor - Ring
    Title apvd - to Senate
02/20    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to Health/Wel
03/14    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/17    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/19    3rd rdg - PASSED - 33-0-2
      AYES -- Andreason, Bailey, Bunderson, Burkett, Burtenshaw, Calabretta,
      Cameron, Compton, Darrington, Gannon, Geddes, Goedde, Hill, Ingram,
      Kennedy, Keough, Little, Lodge, Malepeai, Marley, McKenzie, McWilliams,
      Noble, Noh, Pearce, Richardson, Schroeder, Sorensen, Stegner, Stennett,
      Sweet, Werk, Williams
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- Brandt, Davis
    Floor Sponsor - Ingram
    Title apvd - to House
03/20    To enrol
03/21    Rpt enrol - Sp signed
03/24    Pres signed
03/25    To Governor
03/27    Governor signed
         Session Law Chapter 127
         Effective: 07/01/03

Bill Text


                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-seventh Legislature                 First Regular Session - 2003
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 26
                                                                        
                                       BY MR. SPEAKER
                Requested by: Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO THE IDAHO COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED; AMENDING
  3        SECTION 67-5402, IDAHO CODE,  TO  REVISE  THE  DEFINITION  OF  "BLIND"  OR
  4        "VISUALLY IMPAIRED" AND TO PROVIDE A DEFINITION OF "FUNCTIONALLY BLIND."
                                                                        
  5    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  6        SECTION  1.  That  Section 67-5402, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
  7    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
  8        67-5402.  DEFINITIONS. As used in this act, unless the  context  otherwise
  9    requires:
 10        (1)  "Commission"  means  the  Idaho commission for the blind and visually
 11    impaired.
 12        (2)  "Blind" or "visually impaired" means a  person  whose  visual  acuity
 13    with  correcting lenses is not better than 20/200 in the better eye; or a per-
 14    son whose vision in the better eye is restricted to a field which subtends  an
 15    angle  of  not  greater than 20 degrees; or a person for whom there exists the
 16    medically documented opinion that the person who is functionally blind;  or  a
 17    person who is without any sight.
 18        (3)  "Functionally  blind"  means  a person with a visual impairment which
 19    constitutes or results in a substantial impediment to employment, or  substan-
 20    tially limits one (1) or more major life activities.
 21        (4)  "Prevention  of  blindness  and sight restoration" means treatment or
 22    operations to prevent blindness or restore vision to applicants or  recipients
 23    of  services to the blind without financial resources to procure such services
 24    for themselves, who request and make written application for such treatment or
 25    operation.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                     STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                             RS 12315

This bill is necessary to remove from Idaho Code  67-5402(2) the
requirement of a medically documented opinion in determining
whether an individual is functionally blind.  The Idaho Commission
for the Blind and Visually Impaired believes that a medical opinion
should only be one of the factors used in determining whether an
individual is functionally blind and this amendment would allow
Commission counselors the ability to consider additional factors in
making a final decision as to whether an individual is functionally
blind.



                         FISCAL IMPACT

There is no fiscal impact to the State of Idaho.



CONTACT
Name:        Michael Graham
Agency:      Blind Commission
Phone:       334-3220

Statement of Purpose/Fiscal Impact                                              H26