All kindergarten and first grade students entering the school system for the first time this fall will have to get a comprehensive exam. According to the new children's vision law, students must provide proof of the examination, the cost, the examiner's qualifications and the method of payment.

Jodie Dutton thinks the new law is a good idea for her son Owen.

"I wouldn't want to have my son in school and not know that he was having trouble seeing the board or having trouble understanding the information," said Dutton.

She said if children, like her son Owen get their vision screening out the way it may ease future problems.

"They're either having difficulty reading, they need to sit up in the front, things like that, so if they can nip those in the bud I think the kids would benefit from having anything corrected right away," explained Dutton.

The school children have until the first of the year to get their screening to know whether or not they need a pair of glasses. Optometrist Andrew Stone says the screenings will help parents in the long run.

"This will be a way that will allow us to catch these children earlier than we have before and I really see that as time goes on, parents are going to see the value of it," said Stone.

Supporters of the bill say this measure will help make sure children are ready to learn. Missouri is the 2nd state in the nation to sign such legislation. By December of 2011, a committee will submit a report detailing the results of a study with the effects of the new law.