Bill > AJR222

This Joint Resolution establishes the "Autism and Mental Disorders Study Commission," a seven-member body tasked with examining how various organizations, including law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and hospitals, train their employees to identify and interact with individuals who have autism, Down syndrome, or other mental disorders. The commission will include designees from the Commissioners of Health and Human Services, along with appointees from the Senate President, Senate Minority Leader, Assembly Speaker, Assembly Minority Leader, and the Governor. Members will serve without compensation but can incur necessary expenses, and the commission will operate with a quorum of four members for voting on recommendations. Within one year of its organization, the commission must submit a report of its findings to the Governor and the Legislature, after which it will dissolve. For the purposes of this resolution, "autism" is defined broadly to encompass conditions classified under pervasive developmental disorders in diagnostic manuals like the DSM and ICD, including autism spectrum disorder and related conditions, while "Down syndrome" is defined as a chromosomal disorder involving an extra copy of chromosome 21.