| 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. |