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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 267 FILED ON: 1/12/2023 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2204 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Joanne M. Comerford |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act facilitating better interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum |
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| 13 | 13 | | disorder. |
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| 14 | 14 | | _______________ |
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| 15 | 15 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 16 | 16 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and WorcesterMindy Domb3rd Hampshire1/18/2023Michael O. MooreSecond Worcester2/2/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex2/7/2023Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk2/7/2023Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk2/8/2023Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex2/15/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/15/2023Bradley H. Jones, Jr.20th Middlesex2/23/2023Hannah Kane11th Worcester3/1/2023 1 of 2 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 267 FILED ON: 1/12/2023 |
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| 18 | 18 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2204 |
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| 19 | 19 | | By Ms. Comerford, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2204) of Joanne M. Comerford, |
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| 20 | 20 | | Mindy Domb, Michael O. Moore, Jack Patrick Lewis and other members of the General Court |
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| 21 | 21 | | for legislation to facilitate better interactions between police officers and persons with autism |
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| 22 | 22 | | spectrum disorder. Transportation. |
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| 23 | 23 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 24 | 24 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 2285 OF 2021-2022.] |
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| 25 | 25 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 26 | 26 | | _______________ |
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| 27 | 27 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2023-2024) |
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| 29 | 29 | | _______________ |
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| 30 | 30 | | An Act facilitating better interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum |
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| 31 | 31 | | disorder. |
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| 32 | 32 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 33 | 33 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 34 | 34 | | 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 6C of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2section 56 the following section:- |
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| 36 | 36 | | 3 Section 56A. (a) The registry of motor vehicles, in consultation with the Massachusetts |
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| 37 | 37 | | 4Chiefs of Police Association and organizations that advocate for persons with autism spectrum |
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| 38 | 38 | | 5disorder, shall design and make available blue envelopes that: |
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| 39 | 39 | | 6 (1) provide written information and guidance on the outside of the envelopes regarding |
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| 40 | 40 | | 7ways to enhance effective communication between a police officer and a person with autism |
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| 41 | 41 | | 8spectrum disorder; and 2 of 2 |
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| 42 | 42 | | 9 (2) are capable of holding a person's motor vehicle operator's license, registration and |
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| 43 | 43 | | 10insurance identification card. |
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| 44 | 44 | | 11 Upon request by a person with autism spectrum disorder or if such person is a minor, the |
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| 45 | 45 | | 12person's parent or guardian, the registrar of motor vehicles shall provide a blue envelope |
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| 46 | 46 | | 13designed pursuant to this section to such person, parent or guardian. |
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| 47 | 47 | | 14 (b) The guidance on the outside of the blue envelopes shall include an instruction to |
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| 48 | 48 | | 15attach the envelope to the driver's sunvisor on the side facing the driver for easy and safe access. |
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| 49 | 49 | | 16 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2024 |
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