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 |
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13 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
14 |
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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, which |
25 | shall include the State Surgeon General or an employee of the |
26 | Department of Health designated by the State Surgeon General, |
27 | the Executive Director of the Family Network on Disabilities, |
28 | Inc., or his or her designee, and seven additional members, of |
29 | whom three shall be appointed by the Governor, two shall be |
30 | appointed by the President of the Senate, and two shall be |
31 | appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Of the |
32 | members appointed to the committee: |
33 | (a) At least one member must be a physician licensed under |
34 | chapter 458, Florida Statutes. |
35 | (b) At least one member must be a behavior analyst |
36 | certified under s. 393.17, Florida Statutes, who specializes in |
37 | the treatment of autism spectrum disorder through speech |
38 | therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or applied |
39 | behavior analysis; a psychologist licensed under chapter 490, |
40 | Florida Statutes; or a psychotherapist licensed under chapter |
41 | 491, Florida Statutes. |
42 | (c) At least one member must be the parent of a child with |
43 | autism spectrum disorder. |
44 | (d) At least one member must be an educator certified in |
45 | special education. |
46 | (4) Initial appointments shall be made by July 1, 2012. A |
47 | vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the original |
48 | appointing authority for the unexpired portion of the term. |
49 | (5) The committee shall elect a chair at the first meeting |
50 | by a majority vote of the members present. A majority of the |
51 | membership constitutes a quorum. |
52 | (6) The committee shall meet at least six times bimonthly, |
53 | or more frequently upon the call of the chair, beginning in |
54 | August 2012. The final meeting shall be held no later than |
55 | August 30, 2013. |
56 | (7) Committee members are not entitled to compensation for |
57 | their services and state funds may not be expended for the |
58 | management and operation of the committee except, at the |
59 | discretion of the State Surgeon General, funds expended for the |
60 | cost of publishing recommendations and any public 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, 2013. |
67 | (9) The committee shall expire September 1, 2013. |
68 | Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |