H3655 • 2025

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

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The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Domb, Mindy
Last action: 2025-09-08
Official status: Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

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

An Act facilitating better interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum disorder By Representatives Domb of Amherst and Garballey of Arlington, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

An Act facilitating better interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum disorder By Representatives Domb of Amherst and Garballey of Arlington, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
3655) of Mindy Domb and Sean Garballey that the Registry of Motor Vehicles design certain envelopes to enhance effective communications and interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum disorder.
Transportation.
Status: Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2025-09-08 House
Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means
2025-06-18 Joint
Hearing rescheduled to 06/24/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2
2025-06-16 Joint
Hearing scheduled for 06/24/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in B-2
2025-02-27 House
Referred to the committee on Transportation
2025-02-27 Senate
Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act facilitating better interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum disorder
By Representatives Domb of Amherst and Garballey of Arlington, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3655) of Mindy Domb and Sean Garballey that the Registry of Motor Vehicles design certain envelopes to enhance effective communications and interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum disorder. Transportation.
Status:
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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Bill H.3655

SECTION 1. Chapter 6C of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 56 the following section:-

Section 56A. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:

“Blue envelopes”, blue-colored envelopes designed either by the department of state police or the registry of motor vehicles, in consultation with the department of state police, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association Incorporated and either Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts or any other organization that advocates for persons with autism spectrum disorder, 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, registration and insurance identification card.

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

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect as of July 1, 2026.

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