S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8719
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               June 2, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the  executive  law,  in
   relation  to  establishing  a  blue  envelope program for persons with
   mental health disorders, behavioral  disorders  and  persons  who  are
   neurodivergent

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 200 of the vehicle and traffic law  is  amended  by
 adding a new subdivision 3 to read as follows:
   3.  (A)  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A BLUE ENVELOPE PROGRAM FOR
 OPERATORS AND PASSENGERS OF MOTOR VEHICLES WHO SUFFER FROM MENTAL HEALTH
 DISORDERS, OR BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS AND WHO ARE NEURODIVERGENT.  FOR  THE
 PURPOSES  OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION,  "NEURODIVERGENT"  APPLIES  TO  PERSONS
 INCLUDING, BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO,  PERSONS  WHO  HAVE  AUTISM,  TOURETTE
 SYNDROME,  AND/OR  ATTENTION  DEFICIT AND HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER.   SUCH
 PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE DURABLE BLUE ENVELOPES TO SUCH PERSONS.  SUCH BLUE
 ENVELOPES SHALL:
   (I) BE ABLE TO CONTAIN A PERSON'S DRIVER'S LICENSE OR OTHER GOVERNMENT
 ISSUED PHOTO IDENTIFICATION,  VEHICLE  REGISTRATION,  VEHICLE  INSURANCE
 CARD, AND OTHER RELATED DOCUMENTS.
   (II) BE ABLE TO FIT INTO THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT OF A MOTOR VEHICLE.
   (III)  INCLUDE INFORMATION REGARDING SUCH PERSONS THAT WOULD BE USEFUL
 TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY SERVICES PRINTED ON THE OUTSIDE OF  THE
 ENVELOPE.
   (IV)  INCLUDE  INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOW TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE, REDUCE
 STRESS, AND  ENSURE  EVERYONE'S  SAFETY  DURING  INTERACTIONS  WITH  LAW
 ENFORCEMENT.
   (B) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MAKE BLUE ENVELOPE PROGRAM MATERIALS AVAIL-
 ABLE BY MAIL AND AT EVERY STATE AND COUNTY MOTOR VEHICLES OFFICE.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13034-05-5
 A. 8719                             2
              

 
   (C) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL NOT REQUIRE ANY PERSON REQUESTING MATERIALS
 FROM  THE  BLUE  ENVELOPE  PROGRAM TO PROVIDE ANY MEDICAL INFORMATION TO
 RECEIVE SUCH MATERIALS.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL NOT MAINTAIN ANY  INFOR-
 MATION  ON  ANY  PERSON WHO REQUESTS OR RECEIVES MATERIALS FROM THE BLUE
 ENVELOPE PROGRAM.
   §  2.  Section  840  of  the  executive law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 9 to read as follows:
   9. THE COUNCIL SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS REQUIRING TRAIN-
 ING AND INSTRUCTION FOR ALL POLICE OFFICERS WITH  RESPECT  TO  THE  BLUE
 ENVELOPE  PROGRAM  ESTABLISHED  UNDER  SUBDIVISION  THREE OF SECTION TWO
 HUNDRED OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW. SUCH TRAINING SHALL INCLUDE, BUT
 NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE PURPOSE  OF  THE  ENVELOPE,  GENERAL  INFORMATION
 REGARDING  MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS, GENERAL INFOR-
 MATION REGARDING NEURODIVERGENCE, INSTRUCTIONS  ON  HOW  TO  COMMUNICATE
 WITH  SUCH  INDIVIDUALS, INSTRUCTIONS AND TECHNIQUES ON STRESS REDUCTION
 WHEN INTERACTING WITH SUCH INDIVIDUALS, AND  HOW  TO  ENSURE  EVERYONE'S
 SAFETY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
   §  3. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
 law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any
 rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act  on  its
 effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such
 effective date.