Legislative and Community Advocacy
The Florida House of Representatives heard an incredible presentation on the bill for Cameras in Classrooms!
We deeply appreciate the dedication and passion of Rep Chambliss and Rep Tramont!
The ASF will pursue this bill again in Session 2026 - We hope you will join us in this endeavor.
ADVOCACY BEGINS WITH YOU
State and local officials are elected to represent the people, including you. One of the most important steps in advocacy is to know who your officials are and how to contact them. Once you know who your officials are, you can connect with them to advocate about the issues that matter most to you. Remember, as a person with autism or other disability, family member, or ally, YOU are an expert about the policy issues impacting your life or your loved one’s life
We are excited to share that MANY autism bills got good traction in 2025. We've never seen a time when we have been as successful in our advocacy efforts at the state level! This was in great part due to a tremendous amount of Florida's policymakers having a personal connection to autism.
Our focus for 2026 is on:
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Cameras in classrooms
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Autism Police Training requirement
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Nonspeaker Bill of Rights
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Drowning prevention
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Elopement protocols in schools
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Heathcare
If you’d like to get involved with these efforts, join our Safe Schools Task Force that meets the 2nd Monday of each month on Zoom.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqcOyvqTgrHNEzGoXtH_XnQmmCYH7AsgQ5
The Autism Society of Florida advocates for and contributes to crafting legislation to protect, empower and improve the quality of life for people with autism in all aspects of life.
We forge relationships with legislators as well as people in our communities to educate, inform and create awareness about the needs of individuals with autism in Florida. We are committed to helping people advocate for their children and teaching self advocacy skills to adults on the autism spectrum.
If you share our passion, have skills to offer and are interested in volunteering to help advocate on a more global scale, contact us and put those skills to work. Let's work together to create a better more inclusive world for everyone.
CONTACT US AT: INFO@AUTISMFL.ORG
CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS
It's important to contact you legislators and let them know where you stand on the issues.
They need to hear personal stories to inform and influence them. If no one calls them, then it's as if they're not needed and all is well with special education.
Find Your Legislator Here:
We need CAMERAS in classrooms TODAY.
Sadly, kids with autism are found in the news more and more, and not for good reasons. Within 2 weeks, there were two children in two different schools who were abused by their teachers.
This is a tragic story about a 7 year old boy with autism who was tied to a chair at his public school in Manatee County. The teacher and para took turns sitting on the chair to keep him from moving. The only reason we even know about this is because there was a CAMERA on the playground. There is no expectation that this child was treated any differently (or worse) behind the closed door of his classroom. Who knows how long this type of abuse occurred? Our question is: Why do we not have cameras in the classrooms of our most vulnerable children?
In this incident, a behavior support teacher at Eisenhower Exceptional Center in Hillsborough County was observed punching a 9-year-old non-verbal student and was subsequently fired. Eisenhower is a center school that is supposed to have all the extra support for students who need it. How is a parent to trust the education system without knowing that cameras are in place should they have concerns about the safety of their child?
New Law Became Effective January 1, 2024
Contact your local law enforcement agency to see if they have a registration program - if you feel it's right for you.
The "“Protect Our Loved Ones” Act, authorizes a local law enforcement agency to develop and maintain a database, known as a “Persons with Disabilities Registry,” of persons who may have certain developmental, psychological, or other disabilities or conditions, including but not limited to, autism spectrum disorder.... that may be relevant to interactions with law enforcement."
"The bill authorizes local law enforcement agencies to provide information from the registry to law enforcement officers to assist in performance of their official duties.
The information provided to law enforcement officers under the bill may assist officers in their official duties by preparing them to respectfully and appropriately interact with an individual enrolled in the registry who has a relevant disability or condition."
If you are interested in being included in this database, contact your local law enforcement agency to find out if they plan to have one. No one will be included who does not request to be included.
What We Worked on in 2025
Links are for 2025 legislation - will be updated for the 2026 legislative session
Cameras in Classrooms
HB 257/SB 1006
Video Cameras in Public School Classrooms
Seeks to provide safety of children with disabilities via video cameras in public school classrooms and requires district school boards to establish policies to place cameras in self-contained classrooms upon parent request.
Children with Developmental Disabilities
SB 112/HB591
Authorizing an Early Steps Extended Option regardless of certain federal funding until the age of 4, requiring the University of Florida Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment to fund specialized summer programs for children with autism spectrum disorder, etc.
Swim Safely
SB568/HB413
Ensures that childcare centers and camps gather water competency information from parents before providing access to water recreation in an effort to secure safe environments, and requires certain counties & municipalities to create pilot programs to install drowning prevention stations at high-risk water access areas.
