The Senate this week unanimously passed a bill that proposes developing a state plan of services for people with autism.
The House of Representatives earlier passed the bill, and it is now with the governor.
Rep. Heinz Hofschneider, who proposed the legislation, stated in the bill that autism is the fastest growing serious developmental disability in the United States and the Commonwealth.
He said experts estimate that two to six children out of every 1,000 will have autism.
The lawmaker noted that the economic impact of autism in the U.S. is more than $90 billion annually and is expected to more than double in the next decade.
But Rita Sablan, Public School System education commissioner, and Lucy Blanco-Maratita, Board of Education chairwoman, have opposed the legislation.
Blanco-Maratita and Sablan said the bill seems to circumvent certain local and federal regulations of both education and governmental entities.
Blanco-Maratita and Sablan said the Board of Education Standing Committee on Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs is unsure why CAC would be able to exist outside channels of government that provide for checks and balances.
They said the Committee cautions that CAC would still have to go through proper channels when requesting information from PSS about its students.
The two education officials said the CAC does not and cannot dictate to PSS.
Blanco-Maratita and Sablan also noted that the Committee’s concern is that many departments within PSS are already burdened with a heavy workload and are short-staffed.
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