Florida Senate - 2024 CS for SB 864 By the Committee on Criminal Justice; and Senators Collins and Perry 591-02410-24 2024864c1 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to autism spectrum disorder training 3 for law enforcement and correctional officers; 4 amending s. 943.1727, F.S.; providing definitions; 5 providing requirements for training officers for 6 interacting with individuals with autism spectrum 7 disorder; requiring the Criminal Justice Standards and 8 Training Commission to adopt rules requiring such 9 training as part of continued employment training for 10 officers; providing an effective date. 11 12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13 14 Section 1.Section 943.1727, Florida Statutes, is amended 15 to read: 16 943.1727Continued Employment training relating to autism 17 spectrum disorder. 18 (1)As used in this section, the term: 19 (a)Agency means the ability to make independent 20 decisions and act in ones own best interests. 21 (b)Autism spectrum disorder has the same meaning as in 22 s. 627.6686(2). 23 (2)The commission department shall establish an a 24 continued employment training component relating to individuals 25 with autism spectrum disorder as defined in s. 627.6686. The 26 training component shall include, but need not be limited to, 27 instruction on the recognition of the symptoms and 28 characteristics of an individual on the autism disorder spectrum 29 and appropriate responses to an individual exhibiting such 30 symptoms and characteristics. Completion of the training 31 component may count toward the 40 hours of instruction for 32 continued employment or appointment as a law enforcement 33 officer, correctional officer, or correctional probation officer 34 required under s. 943.135. 35 (3)The employment training component for officers relating 36 to interaction with individuals with autism spectrum disorder 37 may include at least 4 hours of in-person instruction in the 38 techniques and procedures described in this subsection: 39 (a)The nature and manifestation of autism spectrum 40 disorders. 41 (b)Appropriate techniques for interviewing or 42 interrogating an individual with autism spectrum disorder, 43 including techniques to ensure the legality of statements made 44 by the individual and techniques used to protect the rights of 45 the individual. 46 (c)Techniques for locating an individual with autism 47 spectrum disorder who runs away and is in danger and for 48 returning that individual while causing as little stress as 49 possible to the individual. 50 (d)Techniques for recognizing the agency of an individual 51 with autism spectrum disorder while identifying potential 52 abusive or coercive situations. 53 (e)Techniques for deescalating a potentially dangerous 54 situation to maximize the safety of both the officer and the 55 individual with autism spectrum disorder. 56 (f)Techniques for differentiating an individual with 57 autism spectrum disorder from an individual who is belligerent, 58 uncooperative, or otherwise displaying traits similar to the 59 characteristics of an individual with autism spectrum disorder 60 and understanding the law as it relates to the use of the Baker 61 Act against an individual with autism spectrum disorder. 62 (g)Procedures to identify and address challenges related 63 to the safety and wellbeing of individuals with autism spectrum 64 disorder in a correctional facility. 65 (h)The impact of interaction with officers on individuals 66 with autism spectrum disorder. 67 (4)All recruits must receive the employment training 68 component relating to individuals with autism spectrum disorder. 69 Such training component may be taught as part of other relevant 70 components of the training. 71 (5)The commission shall by rule require that each officer 72 receive, as part of the required instruction for continued 73 employment or appointment as an officer, instruction in the 74 techniques and procedures described in subsection (3). 75 Section 2.This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.