Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorNovember 20, 2018

A chickenpox outbreak in North Carolina highlights the need for parents of young children to take a close look at vaccine science. The outbreak also presents an opportunity for the public to try understanding why a parent like me, who has an adult child with autism, would ever question whether a link existed between vaccines […]

Ryan NicolMay 15, 2018

Florida regulators have barred enrollment of new autism therapists after an investigation uncovered widespread Medicaid fraud by some current providers. The focus of the investigation was a therapy called behavioral analysis, which aims to help the development of children with autism. Among other violations, a report by the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration showed […]

Scott PowersFebruary 21, 2018

Orlando lawyer John Morgan, who earned national leadership credibility as a proponent for marijuana while leading the approval of medical marijuana in Florida and nearly ran for governor, has blasted childhood vaccines and mood stabilizing medications for creating “monsters,” and linked the prospect to the Parkland shooter. Morgan sent out a flurry of tweets on […]

Staff ReportsJanuary 18, 2018

More money could be coming to the Jacksonville School for Autism, if legislation carried in the Senate by Aaron Bean and the House by Jason Fischer passes. The legislators seek $250,000 for the school’s Strategies and Techniques for Effective Practice (STEP) Program. “Jacksonville School for Autism has impacted numerous lives since its founding and has provided its students […]

Associated PressMay 5, 2017

Florida police officers may soon be required to undergo training to better deal with autistic individuals under a bill that has passed the state Legislature. The measure was sent to Gov. Rick Scott on Friday. It comes after a North Miami shooting that left an unarmed black therapist shot and injured while he tried to […]

Guest AuthorMay 2, 2017

You may have heard about a man having a grand mal seizure on the Florida Senate floor two weeks ago. That was me. I am a die-hard conservative activist. I support Floridians’ now-constitutional right to access medical marijuana. And I’m a patient. I was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 13 and like most went through […]

Julie DelegalFebruary 7, 2016

Last Tuesday night, the Duval County School Board voted unanimously to build a laboratory school on Jacksonville’s west side for children with autism. Parent reaction to the Oak Hill Autism Lab School proposal has ranged from skepticism to outrage. That’s no surprise, given Duval’s record in serving students with disabilities. Even in schools where administrators […]

Scott PowersJanuary 21, 2016

A new program to help students with intellectual disabilities such as autism get into college or other postsecondary schools will be coordinated through a new center to be developed at the University of Central Florida. The center startup money for such college programs and a scholarship program for such students was authorized by Senate Bill 672, a special […]

Guest AuthorNovember 2, 2015

What is your battle? Getting legislation passed? Trying to close a deal? This piece will explore different kinds of battles. Buckle up. I just watched a story on ESPN about the California School for the Deaf that focused on its football team. It detailed the most recent season as its team competed against hearing players […]

Julie DelegalAugust 27, 2014

Just when I thought I had reached inner peace about vaccines and autism, the specter of a link has reared its ugly head again — on Twitter, on Facebook, on CNN’s user-generated “iReport” website. It’s hard enough sorting through autism science. But parents like me, whose children are affected by the potentially devastating neuro-developmental condition, […]

Tag: autism
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

Julie Delegal: Anti-vaxxers need empathy, education … not ridicule

Medicaid fraud stalls enrollment of autism therapists in South Florida

John Morgan questions whether vaccines, childhood mood drugs create ‘monsters’

Aaron Bean, Jason Fischer seek money for autism treatment

Rick Scott gets bill requiring autism training for police

Michael J. Bowen: For epilepsy, Senate medical marijuana bill is ‘step in right direction’

Julie Delegal: One Duval parent on autism lab school: Show me

Bill creates college-level assistance for students with intellectual disabilities

Blake Dowling: Check into tech to help win your battle

Julie Delegal: Autism, vaccines, science and doubt