THE BILL ITSELF
HB 1405
Statewide Project for Missing Persons with Special Needs
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An act relating to a statewide project for missing
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persons with special needs; reviving, readopting, and
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amending s. 937.041, F.S., relating to the missing
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persons with special needs statewide project;
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providing that the project is created through the
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centers for autism and related disabilities; providing
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that the participants for the project shall be
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selected based on certain criteria; deleting obsolete
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language; providing appropriations; providing an
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effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Notwithstanding the repeal of section 937.041,
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Florida Statutes, in section 13 of chapter 2020-3, Laws of
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Florida, section 937.041, Florida Statutes, is revived,
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readopted, and amended to read:
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937.041 Missing persons with special needs statewide
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project.—
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(1) There is created a statewide project, to be known as
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"Project Leo," through the centers a center for autism and
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related disabilities established under s. 1004.55. Each center
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that opts to join the project shall distribute personal devices
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to aid search-and-rescue efforts for persons with special needs
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in the case of elopement.
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(2) Participants for the project shall be selected based
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on criteria developed by the respective center for autism and
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related disabilities based on the specific needs of the
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respective each center's service area counties prescribed under
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s. 1004.55. Criteria for participation in the project must
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include, at a minimum, the person's risk of elopement. The
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qualifying participants shall be selected on a first-come,
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first-served basis by the respective centers to the extent of
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available funding within their existing resources. The project
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must be voluntary and free of charge to participants.
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(3) Under the project, personal devices to aid search-and-
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rescue efforts shall be provided by the respective center to the
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sheriff's offices of the participating counties. The devices
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shall be distributed to project participants by the county
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sheriff's offices in conjunction with the respective center. The
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respective center shall fund any costs associated with
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monitoring the devices.
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(4) The project shall operate to the extent of available
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funding within the respective center's existing resources.
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(5) This section expires June 30, 2019.
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Section 2. For the 2026-2027 fiscal year, the sum of
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$250,000 in nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the General
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Revenue Fund to the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities
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at the University of Florida, the sum of $250,000 in
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nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund
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to the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities at Florida
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Atlantic University, the sum of $250,000 in nonrecurring funds
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is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Center for
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Autism and Related Disabilities at the University of South
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Florida, and the sum of $250,000 in nonrecurring funds is
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appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Center for
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Autism and Related Disabilities at Florida State University. The
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funds provided to each center shall be used solely for the
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purchase of personal devices to aid search-and-rescue efforts
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for persons with special needs in the case of elopement.
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Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.