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The Committee on Education Pre-K - 12 Appropriations (Wise)

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recommended the following amendment:

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     Senate Amendment (with title amendment)

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     Between line(s) 143 and 144,

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insert:

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     Section 6.  Subsection (4) of section 1004.55, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     1004.55  Regional autism centers.--

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     (4)(a) Each center shall provide:

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     (a)1. A staff that has expertise in autism and autistic-

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like behaviors and in sensory impairments.

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     (b)2. Individual and direct family assistance in the home,

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community, and school. A center's assistance should not supplant

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other responsibilities of state and local agencies, and each

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school district is responsible for providing an appropriate

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education program for clients of a center who are school age.

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     (c)3. Technical assistance and consultation services,

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including specific intervention and assistance for a client of

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the center, the client's family, and the school district, and any

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other services that are appropriate.

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     (d)4. Professional training programs that include

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developing, providing, and evaluating preservice and inservice

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training in state-of-the-art practices for personnel who work

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with the populations served by the centers and their families.

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     (e)5. Public education programs to increase awareness of

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the public about autism, autistic-related disabilities of

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communication and behavior, dual sensory impairments, and sensory

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impairments with other handicapping conditions.

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     (b) Direct medical intervention or pharmaceutical

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intervention is prohibited in any center on or after July 1,

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2008.

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================ T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================

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And the title is amended as follows:

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     On line(s) 15, after the semicolon,

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insert:

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amending s. 1004.55, F.S.; deleting a provision that

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prohibits direct medical intervention or pharmaceutical

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intervention in a regional autism center;

4/18/2008  2:47:00 PM     602-08029-08