| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to assistive technology devices and |
| 3 | services; requiring interagency agreements to ensure that |
| 4 | assistive technology devices remain with a young person |
| 5 | with disabilities as he or she makes certain transitions; |
| 6 | providing an effective date. |
| 7 |
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| 8 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
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| 10 | Section 1. Accessibility, utilization, and coordination of |
| 11 | appropriate assistive technology devices and services are |
| 12 | essential as a young person with disabilities moves from |
| 13 | preschool to school, from one school to another, and from school |
| 14 | to employment or independent living. To ensure that an assistive |
| 15 | technology device issued to a young person as part of his or her |
| 16 | individual support plan or individual education plan remains |
| 17 | with the individual through such transitions, interagency |
| 18 | agreements shall be developed and executed. The request that an |
| 19 | assistive technology device remain with an individual as he or |
| 20 | she moves through the continuum from home to school to |
| 21 | postschool must be made by the individual or his or her parent |
| 22 | or guardian. Interagency agreements shall be entered into by the |
| 23 | following: |
| 24 | (1) The Florida Infants and Toddlers Early Intervention |
| 25 | Program in the Division of Children's Medical Services of the |
| 26 | Department of Health. |
| 27 | (2) The Division of Blind Services, the Bureau of |
| 28 | Exceptional Education and Student Services, and the Division of |
| 29 | Vocational Rehabilitation of the Department of Education. |
| 30 | (3) The Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program |
| 31 | administered by the Department of Education and the Agency for |
| 32 | Workforce Innovation. |
| 33 |
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| 34 | Interagency agreements shall provide a system for ensuring that |
| 35 | young persons with disabilities and their families, educators, |
| 36 | and employers are informed about the utilization and |
| 37 | coordination of assistive technology devices and services that |
| 38 | may assist in meeting transition needs. |
| 39 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2005. |