Legislative wins in California strengthen supports, opportunities and safety of autistic individuals

Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed several bills that Autism Speaks supported in the California General Assembly, which will strengthen supports for autistic students and help address gaps in funding for disability services. Included among these legislative wins is an earlier transition planning age for autistic high schoolers, which we have been advocating for since 2021. In addition to supporting these changes in state law, Autism Speaks and many other advocates also fought against a proposed year-long delay in previously approved funding for developmental disability service providers. Autism Speaks is proud to celebrate the success of the following advocacy efforts in California this year.

Earlier planning for postsecondary goals and transition services

Transitioning out of school-based services to adult life is a big change and can be especially overwhelming for an autistic person and their family. Fortunately, transition planning is required for all students who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). In California, this is currently required to begin at age 16 (though some school districts voluntarily start sooner). Thanks to continued leadership by Autism Speaks, AB 438 was signed into law, achieving a new and lower standard starting age for transition planning within the IEP process.

Effective July 1, 2025, this law establishes a new statewide standard of beginning transition planning in freshman year so that students with autism and other conditions get an earlier start to critical planning and opportunities for mentorship, work and other support that will help them reach their goals. Autism Speaks has led advocacy efforts to lower California’s transiting planning age since 2021. We were proud to sponsor this bill and work with Assemblymember Rubio, staff from the Department of Education and Newsom administration, and others – over multiple legislative sessions – to achieve greater support of transition-age autistic students.

Enhancing developmental disability services

Some individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities rely on a variety of supports, often throughout their lives. It’s important that policymakers have current information about the funding required for these disability services to keep pace with economic changes – like cost of living, minimum wage increases and other expenses. Thanks to the leadership of Assemblymember Devon Mathis, AB 2423 requires the state to review and update developmental disability service rate models every other year. While it will not automatically fund updated rate models, it will provide valuable information that is needed for further policy change. 

Protecting autistic students from discrimination and bullying

Evidence shows over 60% of children and young adults with autism experience bullying. While countless policies exist to prevent discrimination, increased protection for autistic students is often needed. Through the support of Senator Tom Umberg, SB 939 will enhance existing anti-discrimination and anti-bullying law by adding neurodivergence, including autism, to the categories it covers.For these covered categories, the State Department of Education must, as part of its regular monitoring and review of a local educational agency (LEA), assess whether the LEA has adopted a policy that prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying and has publicized that policy to pupils, parents, employees, agents of the governing board and the general public. As a result, school districts will increasingly provide information related to pupil safety and statewide resources that support youth with autism and their families.

Increasing wages for direct support professionals

Direct support professionals (DSPs) provide critical lifespan supports to people with autism across the spectrum, helping them achieve their full potentials. Yet, there are significant DSP workforce shortages in California and around the nation. In order to stabilize the home and community-based services system and address DSP staffing shortages, providers must remain competitive in hiring and retaining DSPs. After previous advocacy success in securing an increased reimbursement rate for providers like DSPs the community was threatened this year with a delay in this funding. Autism Speaks and many other organizations and advocates pushed back against a proposed year-long delay in previously approved state budget rate increases for developmental disability service providers. Due to a large deficit in the state budget, a compromise was reached to delay the rate increases only until January 1, 2025, which is far better than the proposed delay until July 2025.