S 418

ENROLLED
2026 Legislature  SB 418, 1st Engrossed
  2026418er
1
2An act relating to law enforcement officer
3interactions with individuals with autism spectrum
4disorder; creating s. 320.021, F.S.; requiring the
5Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to
6establish a program to improve communication between
7individuals with autism spectrum disorder and law
8enforcement officers under certain circumstances;
9requiring the department to develop and make available
10to individuals with autism spectrum disorder a certain
11envelope and card by a specified date; providing
12requirements for the envelope and card; authorizing
13individuals with autism spectrum disorder to request
14the envelope and card from the department or a tax
15collector’s office beginning on a specified date;
16amending s. 943.1727, F.S.; defining the terms
17“agency” and “autism spectrum disorder”; requiring the
18Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission
19within the Department of Law Enforcement to establish
20an employment training component relating to
21individuals with autism spectrum disorder; providing
22requirements for training law enforcement officers on
23interacting with individuals with autism spectrum
24disorder; requiring the training component to be
25included in a specified course by a specified date;
26requiring specified law enforcement officers to
27complete the training component by a specified date;
28providing an effective date.
29
30Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
31
32Section 1. Section 320.021, Florida Statutes, is created to
33read:
34320.021 Blue envelope and blue card program.—
35(1) The department shall establish a blue envelope and blue
36card program for the purpose of improving communication between
37individuals with autism spectrum disorder and law enforcement
38officers.
39(2)(a) By January 1, 2027, the department shall develop and
40make available to individuals with autism spectrum disorder a
41blue envelope that is intended to hold a copy of an individual’s
42driver license and his or her vehicle registration, proof of
43insurance, and emergency contact information, and a blue card,
44which envelope or card may be provided by an individual with
45autism spectrum disorder to a law enforcement officer during an
46interaction with the law enforcement officer.
47(b) The exterior of the blue envelope must identify the
48individual as an individual with autism spectrum disorder and
49include communication guidelines intended to assist law
50enforcement officers during interactions with drivers with
51autism spectrum disorder.
52(c) The blue card may be digital or a durable, wallet-sized
53card and must identify the individual as an individual with
54autism spectrum disorder and include communication guidelines
55intended to assist law enforcement officers during interactions
56with individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
57(3) Beginning January 1, 2027, an individual with autism
58spectrum disorder may request a blue envelope, blue card, or
59both a blue envelope and blue card from the department or a tax
60collector’s office.
61Section 2. Section 943.1727, Florida Statutes, is amended
62to read:
63943.1727 Continued Employment training relating to autism
64spectrum disorder.—
65(1) As used in this section, the term:
66(a) “Agency” means the ability to make independent
67decisions and act in one’s own best interests.
68(b) “Autism spectrum disorder” has the same meaning as in
69s. 627.6686(2).
70(2) The commission department shall establish an a
71continued employment training component relating to individuals
72with autism spectrum disorder as defined in s. 627.6686. The
73training component shall include, but need not be limited to,
74instruction on the recognition of the symptoms and
75characteristics of an individual on the autism disorder spectrum
76and appropriate responses to an individual exhibiting such
77symptoms and characteristics. Completion of the training
78component counts may count toward the 40 hours of instruction
79for continued employment or appointment as a law enforcement
80officer required under s. 943.135.
81(3) The employment training component for law enforcement
82officers which relates to interaction with individuals with
83autism spectrum disorder must include in-person instruction for
84initial certification and online instruction for continued
85employment training or education required under s. 943.135(1) in
86all of the following:
87(a) The nature and manifestation of autism spectrum
88disorder.
89(b) Techniques for interviewing or interrogating an
90individual with autism spectrum disorder, including techniques
91to ensure the legality of statements made by the individual and
92techniques used to protect the rights of the individual.
93(c) Techniques for locating an individual with autism
94spectrum disorder who has run away and is in danger and for
95returning that individual while causing as little stress as
96possible to the individual.
97(d) Techniques for recognizing the agency of an individual
98with autism spectrum disorder while identifying potential
99abusive or coercive situations.
100(e) Techniques for de-escalating a potentially dangerous
101situation to maximize the safety of both the officer and the
102individual with autism spectrum disorder.
103(f) Techniques for differentiating an individual with
104autism spectrum disorder from an individual who is belligerent,
105uncooperative, or otherwise displaying traits similar to the
106characteristics of an individual with autism spectrum disorder
107and for understanding the law as it relates to the use of the
108Baker Act on an individual with autism spectrum disorder.
109(g) The impact of an interaction with officers on
110individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
111(h) Information about the blue envelope and blue card
112program established under s. 320.021 and the “SAFE” designation
113included in the motor vehicle record pursuant to s. 320.02(15).
114(4)(a) By July 1, 2028, each basic skills course required
115for law enforcement officers to obtain initial certification, as
116required under s. 943.13(9), must incorporate such training
117component. Such training component may be taught as part of
118other relevant components of the training.
119(b) Each certified law enforcement officer must
120successfully complete such training component as part of the
121basic recruit training required under s. 943.13(9) or as part of
122continued training or education required under s. 943.135(1) by
123July 1, 2030.
124Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.