NY A02272

Establishes a 16-member New York State Autism Council within the Executive Department to be chaired by a Governor-designated member, comprising state agency representatives, parent advocates, and regional and medical experts.

Council members serve three-year terms (with staggered initial terms of one and two years), meet at least four times annually, and serve without compensation but receive reimbursement for actual necessary expenses.

Council duties include approving autism awareness programs, providing education on program and service enhancements to families, establishing mechanisms for biomedical research sharing among researchers and clinicians, and submitting annual reports with recommendations to the Governor.

Amends the state finance law to allow the Autism Services Fund to expend monies on program and service enhancements, autism awareness projects, and autism research projects (capped at 10 percent of fund monies annually) approved by the New York State Autism Council instead of solely by the Department of Health.

Takes effect 180 days after enactment, with authorization for necessary rule and regulation amendments to be completed before the effective date.