BLUE ENVELOPE PROGRAM, the official text

HB4472 Enrolled                     LRB104 16524 SPS 29920 b

1   AN ACT concerning State government.

2   Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,

3 represented in the General Assembly:

4   Section 5. The Secretary of State Act is amended by adding

5 Section 38 as follows:

6   (15 ILCS 305/38 new)

7   Sec. 38. Blue Envelope Program.

8   (a) The Secretary of State, in consultation with a

9 nonprofit organization that advocates for autistic individuals

10 in this State, shall establish a program to be known as the

11 Blue Envelope Program through which the Office of the

12 Secretary of State shall design and make publicly available

13 blue envelopes that may be used by individuals who have been

14 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder to hold documents

15 required for the operation of a motor vehicle, including, but

16 not limited to, the individual's driver's license and

17 insurance card.

18  (b) The envelopes designed and made publicly available

19 under subsection (a) shall:

20  (1) provide written information on the outside of the

21  envelope that identifies the holder of the envelope as an

22  individual who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum

23  disorder;
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1   (2) provide written guidance to assist law enforcement

2   officers in effectively communicating with an individual

3   who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder; and

4   (3) include an area on the envelope where the

5   individual may provide emergency contact information.

6   (c) The Office of the Secretary of State shall make the

7 envelopes designed under subsection (a) publicly available at

8 Driver Services facilities and the Illinois State Library.

9 Upon request, the Secretary shall distribute the developed

10 envelopes to State and local law enforcement agencies, fire

11 departments, and libraries.

12  (d) An individual diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder

13 may voluntarily participate in the program established under

14 this Section. Any information provided on the outside of the

15 envelope shall be used solely to support safe and effective

16 communication during interactions with first responders and

17 law enforcement officers and shall not be entered into any

18 federal, State, or local database. This subsection shall not

19 be construed to prohibit the issuance of a citation under

20 Section 6-308 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

21  (e) The Secretary of State may adopt rules to implement

22 and administer this Section.