Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 1570
By
Senator Gaetz
1-01335A-26 20261570__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to a statewide project for missing
3 persons with special needs; reviving, readopting, and
4 amending s. 937.041, F.S., relating to the missing
5 persons with special needs statewide project;
6 providing that the project is created through the
7 centers for autism and related disabilities; requiring
8 that participants for the project be selected based on
9 certain criteria; deleting obsolete language;
10 providing appropriations; providing an effective date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14 Section 1. Notwithstanding the repeal of section 937.041,
15 Florida Statutes, in section 13 of chapter 2020-3, Laws of
16 Florida, section 937.041, Florida Statutes, is revived,
17 readopted, and amended to read:
18 937.041 Missing persons with special needs statewide
19 project.—
20 (1) There is created a statewide project, to be known as
21 “Project Leo,” through
the centers
a center
for autism and
22 related disabilities established under s. 1004.55. Each center
23 that opts to join the project shall distribute personal devices
24 to aid search-and-rescue efforts for persons with special needs
25 in the case of elopement.
26 (2) Participants for the project shall be selected based on
27 criteria developed by the
respective
center for autism and
28 related disabilities based on the specific needs of
the
29
respective
each
center’s service area counties prescribed under
30 s. 1004.55. Criteria for participation in the project must
31 include, at a minimum, the person’s risk of elopement. The
32 qualifying participants shall be selected on a first-come,
33 first-served basis by the respective centers to the extent of
34 available funding within their existing resources. The project
35 must be voluntary and free of charge to participants.
36 (3) Under the project, personal devices to aid search-and
37 rescue efforts shall be provided by the respective center to the
38 sheriff’s offices of the participating counties. The devices
39 shall be distributed to project participants by the county
40 sheriff’s offices in conjunction with the respective center. The
41 respective center shall fund any costs associated with
42 monitoring the devices.
43 (4) The project shall operate to the extent of available
44 funding within the respective center’s existing resources.
45
(5) This section expires June 30, 2019.
46 Section 2.
For the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the sum of
47
$250,000 in nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the General
48
Revenue Fund to the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities
49
at the University of Florida, the sum of $250,000 in
50
nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund
51
to the Center
for
Autism and Related Disabilities at Florida
52
Atlantic University, the sum of $250,000 in nonrecurring funds
53
is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Center
for
54
Autism and Related Disabilities at the University of South
55
Florida,
and
the sum of $250,000 in nonrecurring funds is
56
appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Center
for
57
Autism and Related Disabilities at Florida State University. The
58
funds provided to each center shall be used solely for the
59
purchase of personal devices to aid search-and-rescue efforts
60
for persons with special needs in the case of elopement.
61 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.