Florida SB 1046: Detection of Developmental Delays and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Bill Text

1046 
Detection of Developmental Delays and Autism Spectrum Disorder 
2026-01-05T03:15:30Z 
Requiring the Department of Health, in collaboration with school districts throughout this state, to develop informational materials for the detection of developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder for parents and guardians of certain students; requiring early learning coalitions to notify parents and guardians of the availability of such informational materials, etc. 
Original Filed Version 
2026 
S 
2026-07-01T00:00:00Z 
GB 
General Bill 
__ 

 Florida Senate - 2026 SB 1046 

 By Senator Calatayud 

 38-01352A-26 20261046__ 
 1 A bill to be entitled 
 2 An act relating to the detection of developmental 
 3 delays and autism spectrum disorder; creating s. 
 4 381.993, F.S.; requiring the Department of Health, in 
 5 collaboration with school districts throughout this 
 6 state, to develop informational materials for the 
 7 detection of developmental delays and autism spectrum 
 8 disorder for parents and guardians of certain 
 9 students; specifying requirements for such 
 10 informational materials; amending s. 1002.53, F.S.; 
 11 requiring early learning coalitions to notify parents 
 12 and guardians of the availability of such 
 13 informational materials; providing an effective date. 
 14 
 15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 
 16 
 17 Section 1. Section 381.993, Florida Statutes, is created to 
 18 read: 
 19 381.993 Developmental delays; autism spectrum disorder; 
 20 detection.— 
 21 (1) The Department of Health, in collaboration with school 
 22 districts throughout this state, shall develop informational 
 23 materials for the detection of developmental delays and autism 
 24 spectrum disorder for parents and guardians of students. The 
 25 informational materials must be made available to each learning 
 26 coalition, prekindergarten provider, school district, and 
 27 charter school through the department’s website. 
 28 (2) Within 90 days after July 1, 2026, the department shall 
 29 develop the materials related to the detection of developmental 
 30 delays and autism spectrum disorder and post the information on 
 31 its website. The department shall develop a standardized 
 32 methodology for each learning coalition, prekindergarten 
 33 provider, school district, and charter school for the 
 34 notification of the parents or guardians of voluntary 
 35 prekindergarten, kindergarten, first grade, and second grade 
 36 students by September 30, 2026, and annually thereafter, of the 
 37 availability of the developmental delay and autism spectrum 
 38 disorder detection materials. 
 39 (3) Information provided to parents and guardians must 
 40 include, but need not be limited to, all of the following: 
 41 (a) A description of developmental delays and a description 
 42 of autism spectrum disorder. 
 43 (b) A description of the signs associated with 
 44 developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder. 
 45 (c) A recommendation for a developmental screening for 
 46 students displaying signs associated with developmental delays 
 47 and autism spectrum disorder. 
 48 (d) Existing state resources for students identified as at 
 49 risk for developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder, 
 50 including, but not limited to, regional sites of the Center for 
 51 Autism and Related Disabilities and the Early Head Start 
 52 program. 
 53 Section 2. Subsection (5) of section 1002.53, Florida 
 54 Statutes, is amended to read: 
 55 1002.53 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program; 
 56 eligibility and enrollment.— 
 57 (5) The early learning coalition shall provide each parent 
 58 enrolling a child in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education 
 59 Program with a profile of every private prekindergarten provider 
 60 and public school delivering the program within the county where 
 61 the child is being enrolled. The profiles must shall be provided 
 62 to parents in a format prescribed by the department in 
 63 accordance with s. 1002.92(3). The early learning coalition 
 64 shall must also annually notify parents and guardians of the 
 65 availability of informational materials for the early detection 
 66 of Type 1 diabetes pursuant to s. 381.992 and for the detection 
 67 of developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder pursuant to 
 68 s. 381.993. 
 69 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.