Legislature passes bill limiting restraints on disabled kids, but Boynton Beach mom calls measure too weak

Phyllis Musumeci isn't a happy parent.

As the Boynton Beach mother of a 17-year-old autistic son, Musumeci and her husband earlier this year filed a federal lawsuit alleging that her son had been restrained at least 89 times and locked in a closet by Palm Beach County school employees.

But the Florida House today unanimously passed a bill that is supposed to give disabled students more protection from harmful and abusive restraints. The bill, which the Senate had passed Thursday, is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Charlie Crist.

Musumeci, however, said the bill didn't go far enough.