Mar 12, 2025, Florida’s Voice: Senate unanimously passes first bill of 2025 session: landmark autism support measures
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday to strengthen early detection, intervention, and support for children with autism and their families.
What it does: SB 112 establishes measures related to autism. Here are a few of the highlights:
The bill expands the Dr. and Mrs. Alfonse and Kathleen Cinotti Health Care Screening and Services Grant Program to include screenings and referrals for autism.
The University of Florida Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment will collaborate with agencies to enhance autism services and oversee grants.
The bill designates the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment at the University of Florida as a “coordinating hub” for “research, program administration, and best practices.”
Grant programs will be established for summer camps and charter schools for children with autism.
The bill creates an “Early Steps Extended Option,” allowing students stay in the program until the school year after their fourth birthday.
A free autism micro-credential for instructional and child care personnel will be created through the legislation.
Fiscal impact: The bill appropriates the recurring sum of $720,282 and the nonrecurring sum of $35,622 from the general revenue fund, along with six full-time positions.
The sponsors: Republican Sen. Gayle Harrell filed the Senate bill. Republican Reps. Randy Maggard and cosponsor Meg Weinberger are carrying the House bill, HB 591.
What they’re saying
Bill sponsor Harrell said there are over 66,000 children in the school system with autism on the Senate floor Wednesday. She emphasized the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.
“We are on the march. This is step one, Who’s going to join me?” she said in closing on Wednesday.
Democrat Sen. Tracie Davis, said she supports the bill and praised the services they are providing are “great,” however, she saw a “missing piece” regarding the micro-credentialing part of the bill.
“We’re not at this point finding a way to recruit more providers. […] We’re putting money into the program, but we’re not putting enough incentives in the areas where we are recruiting providers,” Davis said.
Senate President Ben Albritton, who has previously expressed his commitment to prioritizing support for Floridians with autism during his term, spoke on the Senate floor Wednesday.
Albritton says families of children on the spectrum often tell him they “feel alone many times.” But with today’s legislation, he says the message is clear: “We hear you, we see you, and we are running to your fight.”
Next steps: The full Senate passed the bill 38-0. The House bill has four more committee stops.
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