FL: Legislation to Provide Path for Parental Oversight of Adult Children with Disabilities
BREAKING NEWS:
04/05/2023
Legislation creating a new procedure for parents of adult children with disabilities, and who have a current IEP, to stay involved in their child’s education is heading to the Senate after a bill’s unanimous House approval. A cheer rose in the House after the legislation (HB 19) received unanimous assent. The bill, which Democratic Rep. Allison Tant of Tallahassee filed, stemmed from the problems she encountered after her son, who has complex disabilities, turned 18. “With your vote today, you will stop an expensive and stressful rush to guardianship by parents of disabled students across our state just so they can sign a permission slip or just so they can know when their loved one is off campus,” Tant said.
Sources: COPAA, Floridapolitics.com
Florida HB19, General Bill by Education & Employment Committee and Civil Justice Subcommittee and Tant (CO-SPONSORS) Arrington; Chambliss; Eskamani; Garcia; Harris; Hunschofsky; Joseph; López, J.; Nixon; Rizo; Roth; Valdés; Woodson
Individual Education Plans: Requires IEPs for certain students to contain information on legal rights & responsibilities that transfer to students at age 18; requires information to include ways in which student may provide informed consent to allow his or her parent to continue to participate in educational decisions.
Effective Date: July 1, 2023
Source: myfloridahouse.gov
Recommendations from My IEP Advocate:
I recommend my clients sign a letter on their 18th birthday that says that they need parental/guardian involvement and assistance to make all decisions about their services, graduation, and transition planning and therefore they need any requests for their agreement to be in writing and sent simultaneously to their parents. The student may also make a formal request in an IEP meeting and have it documented in the meeting notes.
Source: myiepadvocate.com
