| The Infant Eye Care Bill, nicknamed �Joey�s Bill�, was written in 2002 and heard in four committees. During those first two hearings the vote was unanimously in our favor. Representative Susan Bucher sponsored the bill in the House and Senator Ron Klein sponsored in the Senate. The bill numbers were HB 1117 SB 2062. In 2003 the bill passed through the committees in which it was heard; but like the year before, did not get to continue through the process to the floor. We will make it to the floor in the 2004 session and �Joey�s Bill� will pass�there is no reason not to do this for the children of our state. The bill sponsors were Rep. Susan Bucher and Senator Alex Villalobos. The bill numbers were HB 0115 SB 2174. The Bill is asking for the eye dilation exam before they leave the hospital, the 6 to 8 week well-baby exam and the 6 to 9 month well-baby exam. These three exams in the first six months of life will help ensure healthy vision for all of the children in our state. No child will loose an eye, go blind or die to a treatable eye disease again. Too many children have lost their vision needlessly and had their lives jeopardized this year alone because we are not doing the eye dilation exam. Healthy vision should be our children�s birthright. Working together we will fix this for the children of our country and throughout the world. HURRAY FOR CALIFORNIA�THE FIRST STATE TO PASS LEGISLATION FOR INFANT EYE DILATION EXAMS!!!! As of January 1st 2003, infants will have their eyes dilated for early detection of ocular diseases at the six week well-baby check up. Do not assume this is being done�ASK�make sure this is happening for your infant! |
| LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: |
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| For information, posters, presentations, and to HELP with this important cause; please contact me at the following: Pam Bergsma (Joey�s grandma) [email protected] 619 South K St. Lake Worth, Fl. 33460 561-586-2094 www.lovejoey.com www.geocities.com/loveujoey3 |
| UPDATE 2004 SESSION: We were heard in only one committee in the Senate�April 12th on Easter Monday. The bill passed unanimously, as it always does in the Senate hearings. Sadly, we were not allowed to be heard in the House. I begged and pleaded, but it did not happen�.the House refused to hear the bill. The following Ad ran in the Tallahassee Democrat urging the House to hear the bill. The cost of this ad to run for one day in a local paper would have paid for the eye dilation exams for the Infants in the state of Florida for two years!! |
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| Good News! We have a new Speaker of the House this year. Speaker Allan Bense is from Panama City Florida. I had the great pleasure of visiting this beautiful city for the first time last August. Bay County proclaimed the month of September 2004 �Joey Bergsma Retinoblastoma Awareness Month� and Panama City made a resolution in support of the Infant Eye Care Bill. |
| While in Washington DC in June lobbying with the National Children�s Cancer Foundation, I had the great gift of discovering the �Congressional Vision Caucus� and meeting with the key members. They now have the information they need to set a new national standard for vision screening�.what we did for hearing, we now need to do for sight! It begins at birth.
The members of the Vision Caucus and the two Key Florida Legislators with their contact information are available. See Bottom Of Page For Contact Information |