STORAGE NAME: h0711f.SAC
DATE: 4/15/2025
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
27 Y, 0 N
State Affairs
SUMMARY
Effect of the Bill:
The bill establishes the Spectrum Alert, 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 law
enforcement officers, 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 may have an indeterminate fiscal impact on state and local governments due to the costs of developing and
implementing the Spectrum Alert system, associated staff training, and necessary technological updates. Any
immediate impacts can be absorbed within existing resources, and future needs may be addressed through the
Agency Legislative Budget Request process.
JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
ANALYSIS
EFFECT OF THE BILL:
The bill mandates that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)—in cooperation with the Department
of Transportation, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the Department of the Lottery, and local
law enforcement agencies—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)
The bill requires law enforcement agencies 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) JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
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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 may have an indeterminate fiscal impact on state expenditures due to the costs of developing and
administering the Spectrum Alert system, associated training, and public awareness campaigns. FDLE anticipates
costs of $93,398 for one additional Government Analyst II position to provide technical support, and $190,000 in
nonrecurring funds to contract a full-time programmer to create the alert.
1 The workload impact of recent
legislation creating a similar alert was unknown until actual alert trend data was documented, after which FDLE
addressed additional needs through the Agency Legislative Budget Request process. Any minor workload impacts
for cooperating agencies can be absorbed within existing resources.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT:
The bill may have an indeterminate negative fiscal impact on local governments to the extent local law
enforcement agencies may be required to develop policies, train staff, and update any necessary technology or
infrastructure to implement the Spectrum Alert system. Any such 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
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
1
FDLE, Agency Analysis of 2025 House Bill 711, p. 5 (Mar. 29, 2025) on file with the Government Operations Subcommittee.
2
See Autism Speaks, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (last visited Apr. 2, 2025).
3
CDC, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (last visited Apr. 2, 2025).
4
CDC, Occurrence and Family Impact of Elopement in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (last visited Apr. 2, 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 Apr. 2, 2025).
6
Children’s Services Council, The rise in drownings of children with autism in Florida (last visited Apr. 2, 2025).
7
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Autism & Wandering (last visited Apr. 2, 2025).
8
See s. 937.021, F.S. This statute also addresses cases involving missing adults. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
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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)
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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 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
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
9
See ch. 937, F.S.; see also Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Silver Alert (last visited Apr. 2, 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 Apr. 2, 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 Apr. 2,
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 Apr. 2, 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 Apr. 2, 2025).
19
S. 937.021(4), F.S.
20
See DOT, Amber Alert (last visited Apr. 2, 2025); s. 937.0205(3) and (6)(a), F.S.
21
See Driver and Vehicle Information Database (DAVID), General Operations (last visited Apr. 2, 2025); DHSMV, Sign up for
AMBER, Silver, Purple and Blue Alerts (last visited Apr. 2, 2025); s. 937.0205(3) and (6)(a), F.S.
22
S. 937.0205(3) and (6)(b), F.S. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
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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 27 Y, 0 N 4/8/2025 Pridgeon Saag
State Affairs Committee Williamson Villa