A program launched last year by the Massachusetts State Police aims to make interactions safer and smoother between officers and drivers with autism spectrum disorder.
State senators are now looking to make that effort a permanent feature of state law. The voluntary Blue Envelope program offers drivers free, specially designed envelopes to hold their license, registration and other key paperwork.
The outside of the envelope provides instructions and communication tips for police officers during a traffic stop, reminding them that a driver on the autism spectrum may display repetitive body movements, need more time to answer questions, or show signs of anxiety from flashing lights or radio noises.
State Sen. Jo Comerford called it “critical” to codify the Blue Envelope program into a lasting protection. She authored a bill that would permanently write the Blue Envelope program into state law and direct the Registry of Motor Vehicles to also make the envelopes available to drivers
“Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, drive independently. They live independent lives,” she said. “Many individuals with ASD also experience communication and social interaction difficulties, repetitive behaviors, and increased sensitivities. Without adequate training, police officers may misread these actions of an individual on the autism spectrum disorder and use force or otherwise accelerate or allow an interaction to escalate.”
Comerford, a Northampton Democrat, said that since the State Police rolled out the program — based on work with groups including Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts and The Arc of Massachusetts — in April 2024, more than 8,500 envelopes have been distributed so far in the state.
Sen. Nick Collins, a South Boston Democrat, said that making the program into a law would spread awareness so that more people can take advantage of it.
Senators voted 39-0 on Thursday to pass the bill and send it to the House for consideration. It’s the second year in a row the Senate unanimously passed the bill, and last year’s version died without a vote in the House.
House leaders have not indicated whether they plan to act on this year’s blue envelope bill. One indication could come in a month, when the committee reviewing a House version of the bill faces a deadline to issue its report.
Noting that this week marks the35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, senators also approved legislation that would strike outdated references to people with disabilities from state law.
That bill, which Somerville Sen. Patricia Jehlen has been filing for several years, uses language like “person with an intellectual or developmental disability” in place of derogatory terms.
According to a summary crafted by Jehlen’s office, the bill replaces out-of-date terminology in 362 sections of state law, including references to “handicap” and “handicapped.”
“This work has required tremendous coordination from legal counsel, legislative staff, and our partners in every corner of state government,” said Sen. Robyn Kennedy, who co-chairs the Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities Committee. “We’ve reviewed laws touching nearly every aspect of life, health care, education, transportation, housing, and civic participation, because dignity shouldn’t just exist in one part of the law. It should be reflected everywhere.”
