Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 562
By
Senator Garcia
36-00599-26 2026562__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the communication rights of
3 individuals with disabilities; creating s. 393.0665,
4 F.S.; defining terms; providing that individuals with
5 a disability have the right to communicate in their
6 preferred manner; prohibiting state agencies, schools,
7 and health care providers from restricting or denying
8 such individuals access to their preferred alternative
9 communication method; specifying alternative
10 communication methods recognized under the act;
11 specifying rights that individuals with disabilities
12 have with respect to their communication needs;
13 requiring the Agency for Persons with Disabilities to
14 adopt rules and develop certain training; providing
15 requirements for the training; establishing the
16 Communication Rights Advisory Board within the agency
17 for a specified purpose; providing for membership and
18 duties of the board; providing for future repeal of
19 the board; requiring the agency to adopt procedures
20 for reporting violations of specified provisions;
21 providing for administrative penalties; providing an
22 effective date.
23
24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25
26 Section 1. Section 393.0665, Florida Statutes, is created
27 to read:
28
393.0665
Communication Bill of Rights for Individuals with
29
Disabilities.—
30
(1)
DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section
, the term
:
31
(
a)
“
Alternative
communication method” means a
32
communication technique or device that is
evidence-based
or
33
recognized
by
relevant
professional organizations, including
,
34
but not limited to
,
the American Speech-Language-Hearing
35
Association, and that allows a
n individual with a disability
to
36
communicate independently without improper influence.
37
(
b
)
“Health care provider” means any facility licensed
38
under this chapter or a provider as defined in s. 408.803
.
39
(
c)
“Individual with a disability” means a person with a
40
developmental disability as defined in s. 393.063
;
a physical or
41
mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major
42
life activities
; or
any other disability as defined under state
43
or federal law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act.
44
(d)
“School” means
any child care, early education,
45
elementary, secondary, or postsecondary educational setting.
46
(e)
“State agency” means
a separate agency or unit of state
47
government created or established by law
and any entity under
48
the control of or established for the benefit of a state agency
.
49
(2
) COMMUNICATION
RIGHTS.—
50
(a
) An
individual with a disability has the right to
51
communicate in
his or her
preferred manner.
A
state agency,
a
52
school,
or a health care provider in this state
may
not
restrict
53
or deny
an individual with a disability
access to
his or her
54
preferred
alternative
communication method.
55
(b
) Alternative
communication methods
recognized under this
56
section
include, but are not limited to
, all of the following
:
57
1.
Augmentative and alternative communication devices
.
58
2.
Letterboards and typing-based communication
.
59
3.
Sign language and nonverbal gestural systems
.
60
4.
Speech-generating devices or other assistive
61
technologies.
62
(c
)
Individuals with disabilities have the right to:
63
1.
Have their
preferred alternative
communication method
64
recognized and supported in educational,
health,
and public
65
settings
.
66
2.
Access
needed
speech
-language
therapy and communication
67
support from licensed professionals without arbitrary
68
restrictions
.
69
3.
Have reasonable access to trained staff in
public
70
facilities or programs to support
their
specialized
71
communication needs
.
72
4.
Receive communication support from trained staff,
73
including
agency staff,
direct
-
support professionals, educators,
74
and health
care providers
.
75
5.
Be free from bans or restrictions on their
preferred
76
alternative
communication method
s
.
77
(3
)
AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES.—
78
(a
)
The
agency
shall adopt rules to implement this section,
79
including a statement of rights and the obligations of staff and
80
providers
required to observe the communication rights of
81
individuals with disabilities under this section
.
82
(b
)
The
agency
shall develop training programs for direct
83
support professionals, educators, and
health
care staff. T
he
84
t
raining must include
, but need not be limited to, instruction
85
on all of the following
:
86
1.
C
ommunication accommodations and alternative
87
communication methods
.
88
2.
T
he requirements of this section, including supporting
89
an individual’s preferred
alternative
communication method
90
unless another method is agreed upon by the individual or
his or
91
her
legal guardian.
92
(4
)
COMMUNICATION RIGHTS ADVISORY BOARD.—The Communication
93
Rights Advisory Board is created within the
agency to advise the
94
agency on matters relating to individuals with disabilities
.
95
(a)
The board shall
be composed of 15 members, at least 7
96
of whom
must be individuals with disabilities or family members
97
or
guardians
of individuals with disabilities and the remainder
98
of whom must be either
professionals
who, in the course of their
99
respective professions, treat or serve individuals with
100
disabilities or
representatives of disability advocacy
101
organizations
. Board members shall be appointed as follows:
102
1
.
Three
members appointed by the Governor
.
103
2
.
T
hree
members appointed by the President of the Senate
.
104
3
.
T
hree
members appointed by the Speaker of the House of
105
Representatives
.
106
4
.
T
hree
members appointed by the Minority Leader of the
107
Senate
.
108
5
.
T
hree
members appointed by the Minority Leader of the
109
House of Representatives.
110
(
b)
The board shall
do all of the following
:
111
1.
Advise the
agency
on the implementation of this section
.
112
2.
Review policies and practices to ensure compliance with
113
communication rights
enumerated under this section.
114
3.
Submit an annual report to the Governor, the President
115
of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
116
(c)
In accordance with s. 20.052(8), this subsection is
117
repealed October 2, 2029, unless reviewed and saved from repeal
118
through reenactment by the Legislature.
119
(5
)
ENFORCEMENT.—
120
(a
)
The
agency
shall establish procedures for individuals
121
with disabilities
or their representatives to report violations
122
of this section.
123
(b
)
Violations
of this section
are subject to
a civil
124
penalty of $500 per violation in addition to any other
125
administrative action
imposed in accordance
with s. 393.0673
or
126
s. 408.813, as applicable, for such violation
.
127 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.