Provides a tax exemption from sales and compensating use taxes on alternative energy systems

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Kevin Parker

The bill creates a blue envelope for ASD individuals containing guidance for officers to de‑escalate and access driver documents, improving police communication.

REFERRED TO BUDGET AND REVENUE

Purpose

The bill creates a simple, low-cost tool — a standardized “blue envelope” — to help improve communications and interactions between law enforcement officers and drivers or passengers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The intent is to provide officers with clear, discreet information they can use to de‑escalate encounters and better understand accommodations a person with ASD might need.

Key provisions

Inserts a new Section 56A into Chapter 6C of the Massachusetts General Laws.

Defines “blue envelopes” as blue-colored envelopes designed by the Department of State Police or the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), developed in consultation with:

the Department of State Police,
the RMV,
the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, and
Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts (or another ASD advocacy organization).

Required content/features:

Written information and guidance on the outside describing ways to enhance effective communication between police officers and a person with ASD.
Instructions for easy access (examples include attaching the envelope to the vehicle sun visor).
Physical capacity to hold a motor vehicle operator’s license, registration, and insurance identification card.

The RMV must make the blue envelopes available, upon request, to a person with ASD or that person’s parent or guardian.

Effective date: July 1, 2026.

Who is affected

Primary beneficiaries: persons with autism spectrum disorder and their families/guardians who choose to request and use the envelope.

Operationally affected: Registry of Motor Vehicles (administration and distribution), Massachusetts State Police and local police agencies (officers who may encounter envelopes), and partnering advocacy organizations (consultation role).

Fiscal impact: likely limited and administrative (design/printing/distribution), no new training or enforcement requirements specified.

Implementation & timeline

Bill filed as Senate Docket No. 853 (filed 1/14/2025) and presented by Sen. Joanne M. Comerford.

Legislative activity through mid‑2025 includes committee referrals, hearings (record shows hearings scheduled for 6/24/2025), a committee recommendation to substitute a new draft (see S.2558), and favorable committee reporting.

If enacted, the statutory requirement to make envelopes available takes effect July 1, 2026.

Considerations

The bill mandates availability but does not require law enforcement training, nor does it define enforcement penalties or statewide distribution quotas.

Privacy: envelopes would carry identifying documents; the bill does not add special confidentiality protections beyond existing law.

Practicality: low-cost, voluntary program intended to be an easy, citizen-initiated measure to assist officers during encounters.

Status: Pending — reported favorably with a substitute draft; final passage and implementation depend on further legislative action.

Bill