STORAGE NAME: h0711c.HHS DATE: 4/1/2025 1 FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BILL ANALYSIS This bill analysis was prepared by nonpartisan committee staff and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. BILL #: HB 711 TITLE: Spectrum Alert SPONSOR(S): Borrero, Campbell COMPANION BILL: SB 500 (Avila) LINKED BILLS: None RELATED BILLS: None Committee References Government Operations 16 Y, 0 N Health & Human Services 24 Y, 0 N Budget State Affairs SUMMARY Effect of the Bill: The bill establishes the Spectrum Alert system, a statewide system to help locate missing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, in collaboration with other state agencies and local law enforcement agencies, are required to develop the alert system, implement specialized training for offers, and create public awareness initiatives. The bill mandates immediate and widespread dissemination of information when an ASD child goes missing and enhances emergency response efforts. Fiscal or Economic Impact: The bill will likely have an indeterminate, negative fiscal impact on the state and local governments due to the responsibilities associated with implementing the Spectrum Alert system, including program development and administration, law enforcement training, public awareness campaigns, and interagency coordination efforts. However, any incurred costs should be absorbed within existing budget allocations. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY ANALYSIS EFFECT OF THE BILL: Spectrum Alert System The bill mandates that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)—in cooperation with the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), the Department of the Lottery (Florida Lottery), and local law enforcement agencies— to establish the Spectrum Alert system to alert the public concerning missing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The Spectrum Alert system must be integrated with existing statewide emergency alert systems to ensure immediate and effective community and emergency response when a child with ASD is missing. The bill acknowledges that children with ASD are prone to elopement (i.e., wandering away from safe locations) and thereby face a unique safety risk; drowning, for instance, is the leading cause of death among the ASD population and Florida ranks fifth in the nation for ASD-related drownings. (Section 1) The bill requires FDLE and its partner agencies to develop a training program for law enforcement officers, which focuses on crisis intervention techniques that improve their ability to understand ASD and other mental illnesses, de-escalate interactions, facilitate appropriate interventions, and respond effectively to missing child emergencies involving ASD. Additionally, the bill requires those state agencies to establish policies and procedures to: Improve response efforts, including immediate and widespread dissemination of information when an ASD child is reported missing. Enhance emergency response teams’ competence by educating them on ASD-specific behaviors and needs. Increase public awareness to foster community support for missing ASD children. (Section 1) JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY 2 Law enforcement agencies will be required under the bill to undertake certain actions upon receiving a report of a missing child with ASD, including immediately notifying local media outlets, informing all on-duty officers, and communicating the report to law enforcement in neighboring counties. (Section 1) The effective date of the bill is July 1, 2025. (Section 2) RULEMAKING: The bill grants FDLE rulemaking authority to implement and administer the Spectrum Alert system. Lawmaking is a legislative power; however, the Legislature may delegate a portion of such power to executive branch agencies to create rules that have the force of law. To exercise this delegated power, an agency must have a grant of rulemaking authority and a law to implement. FISCAL OR ECONOMIC IMPACT: STATE GOVERNMENT: The bill would likely have an indeterminate, negative fiscal impact on the state due to the responsibilities of FDLE, DOT, DHSMV, and the Florida Lottery in implementing the Spectrum Alert system, including program development and administration, law enforcement training, public awareness campaigns, and interagency coordination efforts. FDLE estimates that it will take one month to complete the necessary programmatic changes to implement the bill at a total cost of $13,000. FDLE anticipates that the costs can be absorbed within existing resources. 1 LOCAL GOVERNMENT: The bill would likely have an indeterminate, negative fiscal impact on local governments due to the responsibilities of local law enforcement agencies in implementing the Spectrum Alert system, including law enforcement response efforts, media and communication requirements, and any necessary technology or infrastructure upgrades. However, these costs can likely be absorbed within existing resources. RELEVANT INFORMATION SUBJECT OVERVIEW: Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication, and behavior. 2 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1 in 36 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with ASD. 3 One of the most pressing public safety concerns for children with ASD is elopement, or wandering away from safe environments. Studies indicate that nearly half of children with ASD will attempt to wander or run away at some point, often placing them in life-threatening situations. 4 Drowning is among the leading causes of death for children with ASD, 5 with Florida posing increased risks due to its numerous bodies of water. 6 Many children with ASD have a diminished awareness of danger, making them more susceptible to accidents involving traffic, bodies of water, or strangers. Traditional search-and-rescue methods 1 FDLE, Agency Analysis of 2025 House Bill 711 (March 3, 2025) on file with the Government Operations Subcommittee. 2 See Autism Speaks, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (last visited March 12, 2025). 3 CDC, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (last visited March 12, 2025). 4 CDC, Occurrence and Family Impact of Elopement in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (last visited March 12, 2025). 5 Children with ASD are 160 times more likely to die from drowning compared to their peers in the general pediatric population. National Autism Association, Autism and Safety Data (last visited March 12, 2025). 6 Children’s Services Council, The rise in drownings of children with autism in Florida (last visited March 12, 2025). JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY 3 present challenges due to the children’s nonverbal communication difficulties, sensory sensitivities, and resistance to verbal commands. 7 Statewide Emergency Alert Systems Florida currently has multiple statewide emergency alert systems, including the Amber Alert, used for abducted children; 8 the Silver Alert, used for missing older adults with cognitive impairments such as dementia or Alzheimer’s; 9 the Purple Alert, used for missing adults with mental, cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities not related to Alzheimer’s; 10 and the Blue Alert, used for law enforcement officers injured or killed in the line of duty. 11 However, no existing alert system specifically addresses children with ASD who go missing due to wandering behaviors. Missing Person Investigations Every state, county, and municipal law enforcement agency in Florida is required to submit information concerning missing endangered persons 12 to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s (FDLE’s) Missing Endangered Person Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC). 13 MEPIC serves as the central repository for missing endangered persons’ information. 14 Upon receiving a report, MEPIC coordinates the dissemination of relevant details through appropriate channels to aid in locating the missing person. 15 A law enforcement agency receiving a report of a missing child must inform all on-duty officers of the report, communicate the report to every other law enforcement agency having jurisdiction in the county where the child was last seen, and transmit the report for inclusion within the Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC), 16 the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), 17 and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) 18 databases within two hours. Similarly, a law enforcement agency receiving a report of a missing adult must transmit the report for inclusion within the FCIC, NCIC, and NamUs databases within two hours. 19 In addition to FDLE and local law enforcement agencies, several state agencies coordinate efforts to broadcast alerts and disseminate critical information to the public when a person goes missing, including: The Department of Transportation (DOT): When an alert is issued, DOT displays information about the missing individual, including vehicle details if available, on digital highway signs to reach motorists in relevant areas. 20 The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV): Assists by utilizing its driver’s license and motor vehicle registration databases to help identify missing persons. Additionally, DHSMV collaborates with law enforcement to rapidly distribute missing person alerts to the public. 21 7 National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Autism & Wandering (last visited March 12, 2025). 8 See s. 937.021, F.S. This statute also addresses cases involving missing adults. 9 See ch. 937, F.S.; see also Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Silver Alert (last visited March 12, 2025). 10 S. 937.0205, F.S. 11 S. 784.071, F.S. 12 “Missing endangered person” means a child, a missing adult younger than 26, a missing adult older than 26 that is suspected of being a victim of criminal activity, and a missing adult who meets the criteria for Silver Alert or Purple Alert. S. 937.0201(5), F.S. 13 S. 937.022(3)(b)1., F.S. 14 S. 937.022(1), F.S. 15 See FDLE Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse, About Us (last visited March 12, 2025). 16 The FCIC is a statewide system that provides law enforcement agencies with real-time access to various criminal justice information. See U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, Florida Crime Information Center (last visited March 12, 2025). 17 The NCIC is a centralized criminal justice database operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that provides law enforcement agencies across the U.S. with real-time access to critical criminal justice information. See FBI, PIA: National Crime Information Center (NCIC) (last visited March 12, 2025). 18 NamUs is a national database designed to help law enforcement, medical examiners, coroners, and the public track and solve cases of missing, unidentified, and unclaimed persons. See NamUs, What is NamUs? (last visited March 12, 2025). 19 S. 937.021(4), F.S. 20 See DOT, Amber Alert (last visited March 12, 2025); s. 937.0205(3) and (6)(a), F.S. 21 See Driver and Vehicle Information Database (DAVID), General Operations (last visited March 12, 2025); DHSMV, Sign up for AMBER, Silver, Purple and Blue Alerts (last visited March 12, 2025); s. 937.0205(3) and (6)(a), F.S. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY 4 The Department of the Lottery: Contributes to the alert system by broadcasting missing person alerts on lottery terminals across the state, including those located in gas stations, supermarkets, and convenience stores. 22 RECENT LEGISLATION: YEAR BILL # HOUSE SPONSOR(S) SENATE SPONSOR OTHER INFORMATION 2024 HB 937 Casello, Keen Berman The bill became law on July 1, 2024. 2023 CS/SB 1332 Stark Martin The bill became law on July 1, 2023. 2021 CS/CS/SB 184 Casello, Willhite Berman The bill had multiple effective dates and became effective, in part, on July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022. BILL HISTORY COMMITTEE REFERENCE ACTION DATE STAFF DIRECTOR/ POLICY CHIEF ANALYSIS PREPARED BY Government Operations Subcommittee 16 Y, 0 N 3/18/2025 Toliver Villa Health & Human Services Committee 24 Y, 0 N 3/31/2025 Calamas Aderibigbe Budget Committee State Affairs Committee 22 S. 937.0205(3) and (6)(b), F.S.