The Advocacy Center has the authority to educate, inform and assist the Florida legislature regarding proposals that would affect individuals with disabilities. Our work in the legislative arena includes seeking to protect or improve rights, services and opportunities. We also work to improve systems that prevent, detect and stop abuse and neglect. In carrying out our responsibility to advocate in the legislative arena, we monitor, evaluate and react to bills and often participate in the development and consideration of proposed legislation.
Protect Individuals with Disabilities from Abuse And Neglect, Including Inappropriate Restraint And Seclusion
Evaluation of proposals related to systems of prevention, detection and correction of abuse and neglect, including improvements to employee background screening systems.
Protect and Promote the Rights of Individuals with Disabilities
Evaluation of proposals impacting people with disabilities such as bills related to child protection, adult protection, psychiatric medication and children in foster care, guardianship and guardian advocacy, voters with disabilities, youth in juvenile justice, and due process.
Protection or expansion of existing rights under the Baker Act (394 F.S.) and the Forensic Client Services Act (916 F.S.), evaluation of proposals related to criminal justice diversion and other due process issues and rights protection issues that arise.
Evaluation of proposals regarding the waitlist, new systems for prioritization, new assessment systems, individual budgeting, needs for increased funding, protection of existing services, the Developmental Disabilities Bill of Rights, and other issues.
Protect and Promote Rights to Educational Opportunities for Students with Disabilities
Elimination of seclusion, elimination of mechanical restraint and reduction of manual physical restraint in schools; rights to parental notification; regulation of use; prohibition of certain restraints; enhanced training requirements; and new monitoring and reporting systems.
Protect and Promote Self-Determination, Self-Advocacy, and Economic Self-Sufficiently for Individuals with Disabilities
Enactment of state law regarding definition of “special needs” and “special needs” set asides and support for the legislative priorities of the Florida Supportive Housing Coalition and the Sadowski Coalition.
Enactment of state law regarding revision of requirements and limitations for optional coverage for mental health and substance abuse treatment.
Enactment of this Congressionally approved Medicaid option in Florida; expansion of work opportunities for people with disabilities who work and do not have insurance coverage or want to work but are impeded by potential loss of existing Medicaid coverage.
It doesn't take a trip to Washington to get to know your lawmaker. Here are 10 things you can learn online:
Using your ZIP code, you can check Project Vote Smart's web site for the names of your lawmakers.
Web sites for the Senate and House of Representatives have links to lawmakers' official biographies, the committees the serve on, phone numbers and mailing addresses. Many also have their own Facebook and/or Twitter accounts.
The Center for Responsive Politics analyzes where candidates get their campaign money and how they spend it. Click on Politicians & Elections and follow the menu options.
The clerk of the House and the secretary of the Senate compile annual personal financial disclosure documents that give a sense of a lawmaker's assets and income in broad ranges. The information is available at the Center for Responsive Politics Personal Finances page.
Project Vote Smart compiles lawmakers' votes by year and issue. To see all votes, go to the Senate and House of Representatives web sites, as well as OpenCongress.org.
Go to LegiStorm's Congressional Trips page and follow the menu options.
Check the Library of Congress web site.
The House posts its quarterly expense reports. The Senate information is not yet online.
Go to Project Vote Smart's Interest Group Ratings page, then select your state. Once you see the list of offices, click on Congress and then select your lawmaker.
C-SPAN ranks lawmakers by the number of days they spoke on the floor and has links to each appearance.
Latest News
Call to Action: Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Rulemaking Workshops
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Updates on Legislative and Public Affairs staffing at the Advocacy Center
Monday, August 02, 2010
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