HB 1531 2023
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to programs and services for young 2
adults with developmental disabilities; creating s. 3
393.5015, F.S.; providing legislative intent; creating 4
the Transition Success Network; providing requirements 5
for the Agency for Persons with Disabilities; 6
providing for participation in and purpose of the 7
multiagency network; providing for an initial 8
statewide needs assessment and biennial local needs 9
assessments; providing network requirements; providing 10
for funding; amending s. 1003.5716, F.S.; requiring a 11
member of the network to participate in individual 12
education plan meetings for students with 13
disabilities; providing an effective date. 14
15
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 16
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Section 1. Section 393.5015, Florida Statutes, is created 18
to read: 19
393.5015 Transition Success Network for young adults with 20
developmental disabilities. — 21
(1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT. — 22
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to recognize the 23
critical importance of supporting young adults with 24
developmental disabilities as they transition from the K -12 25
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education system. 26
(b) It is the further intent of the Legislature to provide 27
accessible programs for young ad ults with developmental 28
disabilities which will foster success and independent living. 29
To achieve this intent, the Transition Success Network is 30
created as a multiagency network to fully meet the needs of 31
young adults with developmental disabilities. 32
(2) TRANSITION SUCCESS NETWORK. — 33
(a)1. The Transition Success Network shall consist of 34
state and local entities, public and private, that are 35
coordinated on a regional basis and that collaborate to provide 36
young adults with developmental disabilities as def ined in s. 37
393.063 and their families the knowledge of and connection to 38
programs, support, and services necessary to succeed during 39
transition from the K -12 education system. 40
2. The agency shall serve as the lead agency of the 41
Transition Success Network and shall coordinate with other 42
participating agencies and organizations. 43
3. The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the 44
Division of Career and Adult Education of the Department of 45
Education shall participate in the network, along with school 46
districts and providers, and CareerSource Florida and the Able 47
Trust. 48
4. Additional individuals and entities may participate in 49
the network, such as the Florida Developmental Disabilities 50
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Council, local chambers of commerce, nonprofit organizations 51
serving young adults with developmental disabilities and their 52
families, and waiver support coordinators and other providers of 53
services to such young adults and their families. 54
(b) The purpose of the multiagency network is to: 55
1. Enable young adults with devel opmental disabilities who 56
are going to transition from the K -12 education system to 57
identify and connect to further educational opportunities, skill 58
development programs, or meaningful day activities. 59
2. Identify opportunities and strategies for young ad ults 60
with developmental disabilities that help them achieve greater 61
independence, participate to a greater extent in their 62
communities, and access and maintain employment. 63
3. Assess availability and variety of programs, regionally 64
and statewide, in relation to the need for services to determine 65
whether programs and services are made available in the least 66
restrictive manner consistent with the needs of the young adult 67
with disabilities and as close as possible to his or her home. 68
4. Integrate a wide range of services necessary to support 69
young adults with disabilities and their families. 70
(c) The multiagency network shall: 71
1. Support and represent the needs of young adults with 72
disabilities through an initial statewide needs assessment, 73
conducted by the agency, and biennial local needs assessments, 74
conducted by regional networks, to identify areas of need 75
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regarding postsecondary programs. 76
2. Examine data from the statewide assessment and the 77
local needs assessments to measure accessibility to pr ograms and 78
form partnerships to commit to improvements in the provision of 79
services to overcome barriers of mutual concern. 80
3. Facilitate and increase access to local systems of care 81
for young adults with disabilities and their families. 82
4. Support young adults with disabilities in preventing 83
regression of their progress in daily functioning and 84
independence by connecting them to programs and services that 85
teach and promote useful skills, appropriate behaviors, and 86
healthy functioning. 87
5. Participate in individual education plan (IEP) meetings 88
for young adults with disabilities, as requested by the student 89
or the parent. 90
(3) FUNDING.—Applicable departments and agencies of the 91
state may use appropriate funds for the Transition Success 92
Network. 93
Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 1003.5716, Florida 94
Statutes, is amended to read: 95
1003.5716 Transition to postsecondary education and career 96
opportunities.—All students with disabilities who are 3 years of 97
age to 21 years of age have the right to a free , appropriate 98
public education. As used in this section, the term "IEP" means 99
individual education plan. 100
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(1) To ensure quality planning for a successful transition 101
of a student with a disability to postsecondary education and 102
career opportunities, during the student's seventh grade year or 103
when the student attains the age of 12, whichever occurs first, 104
an IEP team shall begin the process of, and develop an IEP for, 105
identifying the need for transition services before the student 106
with a disability enters hi gh school or attains the age of 14 107
years, whichever occurs first, in order for his or her 108
postsecondary goals and career goals to be identified. The plan 109
must be operational and in place to begin implementation on the 110
first day of the student's first year in high school. This 111
process must include, but is not limited to: 112
(a) Consideration of the student's need for instruction in 113
the area of self-determination and self -advocacy to assist the 114
student's active and effective participation in an IEP meeting .; 115
(b) Preparation for the student to graduate from high 116
school with a standard high school diploma pursuant to s. 117
1003.4282 with a Scholar designation unless the parent chooses a 118
Merit designation.; and 119
(c) Provision of the information to the student and his or 120
her parent of the school district's high school -level transition 121
services, career and technical education, and collegiate 122
programs available to students with disabilities and how to 123
access such programs. Information shall also be provided on 124
school-based transition programs and programs and services 125
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available through Florida's Center for Students with Unique 126
Abilities, the Florida Centers for Independent Living, the 127
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Agency for Persons 128
with Disabilities, and the Division of Blind Services. Referral 129
forms, links, and technical support contacts for these services 130
must be provided to students and parents at IEP meetings. 131
(d) Participation of a member of the Transition Success 132
Network, as provided in s. 393.5015 , who shall attend IEP 133
meetings and provide additional assistance based on the 134
student's needs and goals, as requested by the student or the 135
parent. 136
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 137