FILED ON: 7/24/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2565

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act facilitating better interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum disorder.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 116I of chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

Not less than every 5 years, the municipal police training committee shall develop and establish within its specialized training curriculum available to all law enforcement officers instruction on the blue envelope program established in section 56A of chapter 6C.

SECTION 2. Chapter 6C of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 56 the following section:-

Section 56A. (a) The department of state police, in consultation with the registrar of motor vehicles, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association Incorporated and Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts or any other organization that advocates for persons with autism spectrum disorder, shall design blue envelopes that:

(i) provide written information and guidance on the outside of the envelope regarding ways to enhance effective communication between a police officer and a person with autism spectrum disorder;

(ii) include instructions for ease of access to the envelope, including, but not limited to, attaching the envelope to the sun visor on the driver’s side of the vehicle; and

(iii) can hold a person’s motor vehicle operator’s license and registration.

(b) The registrar of motor vehicles shall make available, upon request, the blue envelopes to any person with autism spectrum disorder or such person’s parent or guardian.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.