Rep. Dotie Joseph

Health Insurance Coverage for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities; Revises definition of term "autism spectrum disorder"; revises definition of term "eligible individual" to mean person of any age who has been diagnosed as having developmental disability for purpose of health care coverage under group, blanket, & franchise policies, health maintenance contracts, & under Medicaid program.

Appointments to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; Proposes amendment to State Constitution to revise appointments to Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Suits Against the Government; Increases statutory limits on liability for tort claims against state & its agencies & subdivisions; authorizes subdivision to settle claim in excess of statutory limit without legislative action regardless of insurance coverage limits; prohibits insurance policy from conditioning benefits on enactment of claim bill; specifies that limitations in effect on date claim accrues apply to that claim; revises period within which certain claims must be presented; revises exceptions relating to instituting tort claims against state or agencies or subdivisions; revises period after which failure of certain entities to make final disposition of claim shall be deemed final denial of claim for certain purposes; revises statute of limitations for tort claims against state or one of its agencies or subdivisions & exceptions.

State Renewable Energy Goals; Prohibits drilling or exploration for, or production of, oil, gas, or other petroleum products & permitting & construction of certain related structures; requires statewide renewable energy electricity & carbon emission reductions by specified dates; directs Office of Energy within DACS to develop unified statewide plan & submit plan to Governor & Legislature; creates Renewable Energy Advisory Committee; directs Commissioner of Agriculture to submit annual report to Legislature.

Ad Valorem Property Tax Exemption for the Surviving Spouse of Quadriplegics; Proposes amendment to State Constitution to authorize Legislature to provide for property tax exemption for surviving spouse of quadriplegic who was receiving property tax exemption on real estate used & owned as homestead at time of their death.

Florida Museum of History at the Town of Eatonville; Authorizes specified entities to enter into partnership to design, construct, & operate & manage Florida Museum of History at Town of Eatonville; specifies museum requirements; specifies duties of advisory board; specifies membership of advisory board; specifies duties of partnership & governing board of Florida Museum of History at Town of Eatonville related to museum; requires governing board to make certain recommendations regarding educational materials for museum; specifies duties of operating board of directors; requires governing board, in conjunction with Florida Tourism Marketing Corporation & others, to develop & execute marketing plan to promote museum; specifies funding for construction operations of museum; requires creation of endowment; requires museum to receive program support from operating board of directors, appointed by governing board.

Individual Freedom; Removes chapter 2022-72, LOF, relating to unlawful employment practices, discrimination against students & employees, required instruction, instructional materials, professional development systems, & reproductive health & disease education.

Tax Rebates for Low- to Moderate-income Residents; Creates the Working Floridians Tax Rebate Program within DOR; grants state funds to certain people who receive specified tax credit & meet certain criteria; prohibits receipt of rebate from being used in certain program eligibility determinations.

Immigration and State-issued Identification; Creates Office for New Americans in Department of Commerce; provides requirements for Office for New Americans; provides that discrimination based on person's immigration status is unlawful; revises provisions of law relating to driver licenses, licensing, E-Verify System, the practice of law, federal immigration detainers, law enforcement agencies, DNA samples, education, & reclassification of penalties based on a person's immigration status; removes provisions of law relating to hospital patient data collection, human smuggling, sanctuary policies, duties relating to immigration detainees, reimbursement of costs, & sentence of death for capital offense committed by unauthorized alien; prohibits law enforcement agencies or officers, sheriff's deputies, & federal immigration agencies from engaging in certain immigration enforcement activities within a specified distance of public or private schools, child care facilities, or religious institutions.

Spectrum Alert; Requires FDLE, in cooperation with specified agencies, to establish & implement Spectrum Alert; develop training program & alert system for missing children with autism spectrum disorder which is compatible with existing alert systems; specifies requirements for training program. APPROPRIATION: $190,000