Committee advances bill to allow vision and dental screenings for unhoused students without signed parental opt‑in
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Summary
AB 677 would allow school districts to release directory information for unhoused students solely to enable no‑cost, on‑campus vision and dental screenings, establishing the same opt‑out procedure used for other students; the committee advanced the bill, which sponsors said would increase access for vulnerable students.
The Assembly Education Committee advanced AB 677, a bill by Assemblymember Chris Bridal that would clarify that directory information for unhoused (homeless) students may be released for the purpose of providing on‑campus, no‑cost dental and vision screening services and would use the same opt‑out procedures that apply to other students.
Bridal said the current rules intended to protect the privacy of unhoused students inadvertently block access to free, school‑based screenings because district staff and service providers lack the directory information needed to reach students for scheduled on‑campus services. Witnesses from Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), Queen of Care (a nonprofit provider), the California Dental Association and county offices of education described how the current requirement for affirmative opt‑in consent leads to low participation for unhoused students and can cause providers to leave before consent is obtained.
LAUSD legislative advocate Sasha Horowitz, a sponsor, described how screening programs identify and address vision and dental needs that affect student learning; Queen of Care’s director of operations said their mobile dental and vision programs rely on district directory lists to schedule and locate students and that safeguards are in place to protect student health data.
Supporters argued AB 677 would bring parity between housed and unhoused students and increase early intervention for health issues that affect learning outcomes. Several county offices, the California Dental Association and education and health organizations supported the bill; the committee recorded an 8‑vote favorable motion to advance the bill.
Outcome and next steps: AB 677 was advanced to appropriations. Sponsors said the bill preserves parental opt‑out rights while reducing an access barrier for unhoused students to receive no‑cost vision and dental screenings.