Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 1046
By
Senator Calatayud
38-01352A-26 20261046__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the detection of developmental
3 delays and autism spectrum disorder; creating s.
4 381.993, F.S.; requiring the Department of Health, in
5 collaboration with school districts throughout this
6 state, to develop informational materials for the
7 detection of developmental delays and autism spectrum
8 disorder for parents and guardians of certain
9 students; specifying requirements for such
10 informational materials; amending s. 1002.53, F.S.;
11 requiring early learning coalitions to notify parents
12 and guardians of the availability of such
13 informational materials; providing an effective date.
14
15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
16
17 Section 1. Section 381.993, Florida Statutes, is created to
18 read:
19
381.993
Developmental delays; autism spectrum disorder;
20
detection.—
21
(1)
The Department of Health, in collaboration with school
22
districts throughout this state, shall develop informational
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materials for the detection of developmental delays and autism
24
spectrum disorder for parents and guardians of students. The
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informational materials must be made available to each learning
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coalition, prekindergarten provider, school district, and
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charter school through the department’s website.
28
(2)
Within 90 days after July 1, 2026, the department shall
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develop the materials related to the detection of developmental
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delays and autism spectrum disorder and post the information on
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its website. The department shall develop a standardized
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methodology for each learning coalition, prekindergarten
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provider, school district, and charter school for the
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notification of the parents or guardians of voluntary
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prekindergarten, kindergarten, first grade, and second grade
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students by September 30, 2026, and annually thereafter, of the
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availability of the developmental delay and autism spectrum
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disorder detection materials.
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(3)
Information provided to parents and guardians must
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include, but need not be limited to, all of the following:
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(a)
A description of developmental delays and a description
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of autism spectrum disorder.
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(b)
A description of the signs associated with
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developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder.
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(c)
A recommendation for a developmental screening for
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students displaying signs associated with developmental delays
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and autism spectrum disorder.
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(d)
Existing state resources for students identified as at
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risk for developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder,
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including, but not limited to, regional sites of the Center for
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Autism and Related Disabilities and the Early Head Start
52
program.
53 Section 2. Subsection (5) of section 1002.53, Florida
54 Statutes, is amended to read:
55 1002.53 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program;
56 eligibility and enrollment.—
57 (5) The early learning coalition shall provide each parent
58 enrolling a child in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education
59 Program with a profile of every private prekindergarten provider
60 and public school delivering the program within the county where
61 the child is being enrolled. The profiles
must
shall
be provided
62 to parents in a format prescribed by the department in
63 accordance with s. 1002.92(3). The early learning coalition
64
shall
must
also annually notify parents and guardians of the
65 availability of informational materials for the early detection
66 of Type 1 diabetes pursuant to s. 381.992
and for the detection
67
of developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder pursuant to
68
s. 381.993
.
69 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.