Public Act 0492 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4472 Enrolled LRB104 16524 SPS 29920 b

Public Act 104-0492

AN ACT concerning State government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Secretary of State Act is amended by adding Section 38 as follows:

(15 ILCS 305/38 new)

Sec. 38. Blue Envelope Program.

(a) The Secretary of State, in consultation with a nonprofit organization that advocates for autistic individuals in this State, shall establish a program to be known as the Blue Envelope Program through which the Office of the Secretary of State shall design and make publicly available blue envelopes that may be used by individuals who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder to hold documents required for the operation of a motor vehicle, including, but not limited to, the individual's driver's license and insurance card.

(b) The envelopes designed and made publicly available under subsection (a) shall:

(1) provide written information on the outside of the envelope that identifies the holder of the envelope as an individual who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder;

(2) provide written guidance to assist law enforcement officers in effectively communicating with an individual who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder; and

(3) include an area on the envelope where the individual may provide emergency contact information.

(c) The Office of the Secretary of State shall make the envelopes designed under subsection (a) publicly available at Driver Services facilities and the Illinois State Library. Upon request, the Secretary shall distribute the developed envelopes to State and local law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and libraries.

(d) An individual diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder may voluntarily participate in the program established under this Section. Any information provided on the outside of the envelope shall be used solely to support safe and effective communication during interactions with first responders and law enforcement officers and shall not be entered into any federal, State, or local database. This subsection shall not be construed to prohibit the issuance of a citation under Section 6-308 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

(e) The Secretary of State may adopt rules to implement and administer this Section.