Bill Text: FL S0864 | 2024 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: Autism Spectrum Disorder Training for Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Failed) 2024-03-08 - Died in Messages [S0864 Detail]

Download: Florida-2024-S0864-Comm_Sub.html

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       Florida Senate - 2024                       CS for CS for SB 864
       
       
        
       By the Committees on Fiscal Policy; and Criminal Justice; and
       Senators Collins and Perry
       
       
       
       
       594-03670-24                                           2024864c2
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to autism spectrum disorder training
    3         for law enforcement and correctional officers;
    4         amending s. 943.1727, F.S.; providing definitions;
    5         providing requirements for training officers for
    6         interacting with individuals with autism spectrum
    7         disorder; requiring the Criminal Justice Standards and
    8         Training Commission to adopt specified rules requiring
    9         such training as part of basic recruit training or as
   10         part of the required instruction for continued
   11         employment or appointment as officers; providing an
   12         effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   16         Section 1. Section 943.1727, Florida Statutes, is amended
   17  to read:
   18         943.1727 Continued Employment training relating to autism
   19  spectrum disorder.—
   20         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   21         (a) “Agency” means the ability to make independent
   22  decisions and act in one’s own best interests.
   23         (b) “Autism spectrum disorder” has the same meaning as in
   24  s. 627.6686(2).
   25         (2) The commission department shall establish an a
   26  continued employment training component relating to individuals
   27  with autism spectrum disorder as defined in s. 627.6686. The
   28  training component shall include, but need not be limited to,
   29  instruction on the recognition of the symptoms and
   30  characteristics of an individual on the autism disorder spectrum
   31  and appropriate responses to an individual exhibiting such
   32  symptoms and characteristics. Completion of the training
   33  component may count toward the 40 hours of instruction for
   34  continued employment or appointment as a law enforcement
   35  officer, correctional officer, or correctional probation officer
   36  required under s. 943.135.
   37         (3) The employment training component for officers relating
   38  to interaction with individuals with autism spectrum disorder
   39  must include in-person instruction for initial certification and
   40  online instruction for continued employment training in the
   41  techniques and procedures described in this subsection:
   42         (a) The nature and manifestation of autism spectrum
   43  disorders.
   44         (b) Appropriate techniques for interviewing or
   45  interrogating an individual with autism spectrum disorder,
   46  including techniques to ensure the legality of statements made
   47  by the individual and techniques used to protect the rights of
   48  the individual.
   49         (c) Techniques for locating an individual with autism
   50  spectrum disorder who runs away and is in danger and for
   51  returning that individual while causing as little stress as
   52  possible to the individual.
   53         (d) Techniques for recognizing the agency of an individual
   54  with autism spectrum disorder while identifying potential
   55  abusive or coercive situations.
   56         (e) Techniques for deescalating a potentially dangerous
   57  situation to maximize the safety of both the officer and the
   58  individual with autism spectrum disorder.
   59         (f) Techniques for differentiating an individual with
   60  autism spectrum disorder from an individual who is belligerent,
   61  uncooperative, or otherwise displaying traits similar to the
   62  characteristics of an individual with autism spectrum disorder
   63  and understanding the law as it relates to the use of the Baker
   64  Act against an individual with autism spectrum disorder.
   65         (g) Procedures to identify and address challenges related
   66  to the safety and well-being of individuals with autism spectrum
   67  disorder in a correctional facility.
   68         (h) The impact of interaction with officers on individuals
   69  with autism spectrum disorder.
   70         (4) All recruits must receive the employment training
   71  component relating to individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
   72  Such training component may be taught as part of other relevant
   73  components of the training.
   74         (5) The commission shall by rule require that each officer
   75  receive instruction in the techniques and procedures described
   76  in subsection (3) as part of basic recruit training or as part
   77  of the required instruction for continued employment or
   78  appointment as an officer.
   79         (a) By July 1, 2026, each basic skills course required for
   80  a law enforcement, correctional, and correctional probation
   81  officer to obtain initial certification, as required under s.
   82  943.13(9), must incorporate such training.
   83         (b) By July 1, 2028, each law enforcement, correctional,
   84  and correctional probation officer must successfully complete
   85  such training as required under s. 943.131(4)(a), or as part of
   86  continued training or education required under s. 943.135(1). If
   87  an officer fails to complete the training required under this
   88  subsection, his or her certification must be placed on inactive
   89  status until the officer’s employing agency notifies the
   90  commission that he or she has completed the training.
   91         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.