Update on Autism Spectrum Disorder Bills in the Florida Legislature (April 30, 2008 10:00 AM)

Update (April 30, 2008 10:00 AM)

The House passed amendments to the Senate Bill late last night. To read the amendments, click here (61 pages).  The House plans to debate the amended Senate bill this morning.  To watch the House session live click here or click here - no scheduled time. 

The House will then send the amended Senate bill back to the Senate for further debate.  As you can see form the articles below, that debate should be interesting. To watch the Senate session live click here or click here - no scheduled time.

Articles:

Tampa Tribune: House Leaders Head For Clash With Senate's Autism Measure – includes a summary of bill’s provisions

House Speaker Marco Rubio is "swinging for the fences" when it comes to his health insurance agenda, vowing Tuesday that he will negotiate all night, every night if needed to pass his version of legislation to cover children with certain developmental disabilities. . . . Rubio denied taking an all-or-nothing approach, but said that he isn't willing to settle for anything short of "meaningful and comprehensive" reform.

Steve Geller, sponsor of a leaner Senate version, complimented Rubio's passion for the issue but said his approach is likely to backfire. "I believe that they are more likely than not killing the bill and making sure no one gets anything," said Geller, Senate minority leader from Cooper City. . . . The House's plan sounds great, Geller said. "If they had only funded it." Geller predicts that Rubio's plan would reach up to 80,000 disabled children, many of whom might enroll in Healthy Kids - yet the bill identifies no source for resulting costs. "It's dramatically more expensive, and they haven't funded it," Geller said. "The Senate's not going to go along with that; we have an opportunity here to help thousands and thousands of children. We should do so - not say, 'We've got to get everything, or we'll settle for nothing.'"

news-press.com: Florida House leaders take stand on autism insurance coverage bill

“These are the options, to do a little or do it right,” House Speaker Marco Rubio said. “We want to do something meaningful and comprehensive. Anything less is a disservice.”

The standoff is likely to mean no bill at all, Geller said.

Richard