Bill > SJR14

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, with vacancies filled by the original appointing authority. 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 30 days later. The resolution defines "autism" broadly to encompass various classifications within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), and "Down syndrome" as a specific chromosomal disorder.