Florida Senate - 2011 SB 516
By Senator Garcia
40-00543-11 2011516__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to autism; creating the Autism
3 Spectrum Disorder Study Committee to study autism
4 spectrum disorder in families in which English is the
5 second language; providing for membership, meetings,
6 and duties; prohibiting committee members from
7 receiving compensation for their services; authorizing
8 certain funding for publications, subject to approval
9 of the State Surgeon General; requiring a report to
10 the Governor and Legislature; providing for expiration
11 of the committee; providing an effective date.
12
13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15 Section 1. Autism Spectrum Disorder Study Committee.—
16 (1) There is created an Autism Spectrum Disorder Study
17 Committee to study the effects of autism spectrum disorder on
18 families in which English is the second language.
19 (2) The committee shall advise the Agency for Persons with
20 Disabilities regarding legislative, programmatic, and
21 administrative matters that relate to occurrences of autism
22 spectrum disorder in families in which English is the second
23 language.
24 (3) The committee shall be composed of nine members, of
25 whom three shall be appointed by the Governor, three shall be
26 appointed by the President of the Senate, and three shall be
27 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Of the
28 members appointed to the committee:
29 (a) At least one member must be a physician licensed under
30 chapter 458, Florida Statutes.
31 (b) At least one member must be a behavior analyst
32 certified under s. 393.17, Florida Statutes, who specializes in
33 the treatment of autism spectrum disorder through speech
34 therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or applied
35 behavior analysis; a psychologist licensed under chapter 490,
36 Florida Statutes; or a psychotherapist licensed under chapter
37 491, Florida Statutes.
38 (c) At least one member must be the State Surgeon General
39 or an employee of the Department of Health appointed by the
40 State Surgeon General.
41 (d) At least one member must be the parent of a child with
42 autism spectrum disorder.
43 (e) At least one member must be an educator certified in
44 special education.
45 (4) Initial appointments shall be made by July 1, 2011. A
46 vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the original
47 appointing authority for the unexpired portion of the term.
48 (5) The committee shall elect a chair at the first meeting
49 by a majority vote of the members present. A majority of the
50 membership constitutes a quorum.
51 (6) The committee shall meet at least six times bimonthly,
52 or more frequently upon call of the chair, beginning in August
53 2011. The final meeting shall be held no later than August 30,
54 2012.
55 (7) Committee members are not entitled to compensation for
56 their services, and state funds may not be expended for the
57 management and operation of the committee except, at the
58 discretion of the State Surgeon General, funds may be expended
59 for the cost of publishing recommendations and any public
60 announcements.
61 (8) The committee shall issue a report containing its
62 findings and recommendations for community awareness campaigns
63 relating to autism spectrum disorder in families in which
64 English is the second language to the Governor, the President of
65 the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by
66 September 1, 2012.
67 (9) The committee shall expire September 1, 2012.
68 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.