| 1 | 1 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2542 |
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| 2 | 2 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 3 | 3 | | _______________ |
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| 4 | 4 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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| 5 | 5 | | (2023-2024) |
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| 6 | 6 | | _______________ |
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| 7 | 7 | | SENATE, January 2, 2024. |
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| 8 | 8 | | The committee on Senate Ways and Means to whom was referred the Senate Bill |
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| 9 | 9 | | facilitating better interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum disorder |
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| 10 | 10 | | (Senate, No. 2204), - reports, recommending that the same ought to pass with an amendment |
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| 11 | 11 | | substituting a new draft with the same title (Senate, No. 2542). |
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| 12 | 12 | | For the committee, |
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| 13 | 13 | | Michael J. Rodrigues 1 of 2 |
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| 14 | 14 | | FILED ON: 1/2/2024 |
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| 15 | 15 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2542 |
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| 16 | 16 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 17 | 17 | | _______________ |
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| 18 | 18 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2023-2024) |
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| 20 | 20 | | _______________ |
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| 21 | 21 | | An Act facilitating better interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum |
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| 22 | 22 | | disorder. |
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| 23 | 23 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 24 | 24 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 25 | 25 | | 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 6C of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after |
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| 26 | 26 | | 2section 56 the following section:- |
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| 27 | 27 | | 3 Section 56A. (a) The registrar of motor vehicles, in consultation with the Massachusetts |
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| 28 | 28 | | 4Chiefs of Police Association Incorporated and Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts or any |
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| 29 | 29 | | 5other organization that advocates for persons with autism spectrum disorder, shall design blue |
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| 30 | 30 | | 6envelopes that: |
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| 31 | 31 | | 7 (i) provide written information and guidance on the outside of the envelope regarding |
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| 32 | 32 | | 8ways to enhance effective communication between a police officer and a person with autism |
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| 33 | 33 | | 9spectrum disorder; |
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| 34 | 34 | | 10 (ii) include instructions for ease of access to the envelope, including, but not limited |
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| 35 | 35 | | 11to, attaching the envelope to the sun visor on the driver’s side of the vehicle; and 2 of 2 |
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| 36 | 36 | | 12 (iii) can hold a person's motor vehicle operator's license, registration and insurance |
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| 37 | 37 | | 13identification card. |
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| 38 | 38 | | 14 The registrar shall make available, upon request, said blue envelopes to a person with |
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| 39 | 39 | | 15autism spectrum disorder or, if such person is a minor, the person's parent or guardian. |
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| 40 | 40 | | 16 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect as of July 1, 2024. |
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