Florida Senate - 2009                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 642
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 182398                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: FAV            .                                
                  04/06/2009           .                                
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       The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs (Storms)
       recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment 
    2  
    3         Delete lines 41 - 85
    4  and insert:
    5  establish an Autism Services Grant Council whose membership
    6  shall be drawn from among stakeholders throughout the state who
    7  represent the interests of individuals with autism and related
    8  disabilities. The grant council shall provide grants from
    9  available Autism license plate proceeds to nonprofit
   10  organizations throughout the state to establish or operate
   11  direct services and programs for individuals with autism and
   12  related disabilities and their families or to market the Autism
   13  license plate. Consideration for participation in such services
   14  and programs shall be given to applicants who are children or
   15  adults with autism and related disabilities and their families
   16  and shall include those who are on the Agency for Persons with
   17  Disabilities waiting lists for services. Achievement and
   18  Rehabilitation Centers, Inc., shall also establish an Autism
   19  License Plate Fund. Moneys in the fund shall be used by the
   20  grant council as provided in this paragraph. All funds received
   21  under this subsection must be used in this state.
   22         (c) Achievement and Rehabilitation Centers, Inc., may
   23  retain all proceeds from the annual use fee up to $85,000 until
   24  all documented startup costs for developing and establishing the
   25  plate have been recovered. Thereafter, the proceeds from the
   26  annual use fee shall be used as follows:
   27         1. Achievement and Rehabilitation Centers, Inc., may use up
   28  to 10 percent of the proceeds from the annual use fee for all
   29  administrative costs associated with the operation of the Autism
   30  Services Grant Council, the Autism License Plate Fund, and the
   31  programs established and operated as provided in subparagraph
   32  2., including the costs of an annual audit or compliance
   33  affidavit.
   34         2.  Achievement and Rehabilitation Centers, Inc., may use
   35  up to twenty-five percent of the proceeds from the annual use
   36  fee to establish and operate programs statewide to support
   37  individuals with autism and related disabilities and their
   38  families through direct services, evaluation, and training.
   39         3.  Achievement and Rehabilitation Centers, Inc., shall
   40  disburse fifteen percent of the proceeds from the annual use fee
   41  to The Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at the
   42  University of Miami, for distribution to the seven regional
   43  autism centers created under s. 1004.55. To the extent possible,
   44  the director of The Center for Autism and Related Disabilities
   45  at the University of Miami shall distribute funds
   46  proportionately among the regional centers. The regional centers
   47  shall use the funds to support the services they provide.
   48         4.  Achievement and Rehabilitation Centers, Inc., shall
   49  disburse fifty percent of the proceeds from the annual use fee
   50  to the Autism Services Grant Council which shall provide grants
   51  to nonprofit organizations throughout the state to establish or
   52  operate direct services and programs for individuals with autism
   53  and related disabilities and their families or to market the
   54  Autism license plate.
   55  
   56  All grant recipients, the Achievement and Rehabilitation
   57  Centers, Inc., and the Center for Autism and Related
   58  Disabilities at the University of Miami, shall provide to the
   59  Autism Services Grant Council an annual program and financial
   60  report regarding the use of the proceeds from the annual use
   61  fee. The report shall be made available to the public.