A seven-bill package addressing autism research and related proposals is moving through several Assembly committees.

Last month, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a study that found New Jersey to have the nation’s highest reported rate of autism—one of out of every 94 children — among 14 states surveyed. The nationwide rate is one out of 150 children.

The bills would –

•  Create a centralized statewide autism registry (A-2306)
  
  
• Restructure the governor’s Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism (A-4054 )
  
  
• Train teachers in autism awareness (A-4055)
  
  
• Require pediatricians to screen autism symptoms
  (A-4056)
  
  
• Create a task force to study the needs of autistic adults (A-4057)
  
  
• Establish an autism awareness program for emergency medical technicians, police officers and firefighters
  (A-4058)
  
  
• Extend funding for autism medical research and treatment (A-4059)