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Senate Bill S8059

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Establishes a blue envelope program for persons with mental health disorders, behavioral disorders and persons who are neurodivergent

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Transportation Committee

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2025-S8059 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A8719
Current Committee:
Senate Transportation
Law Section:
Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §200, V & T L; amd §840, Exec L

2025-S8059 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes a blue envelope program for persons with mental health disorders, behavioral disorders and persons who are neurodivergent to be provided with blue envelopes to keep their identification, vehicle registration, and other related documents to improve their safety during law enforcement interactions; requires the municipal police training council to promulgate rules and regulations requiring training and instruction for all police officers with respect to the blue envelope program.

2025-S8059 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S8059 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8059
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 15, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  BAILEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed 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
 S. 8059                             2

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George_Duff_Bailey
5 months ago

I am the parent of an adult son with autism who has been driving for 15 years without any accidents or traffic infractions. Nevertheless, we fear that if he were ever involved in an incident, the stress of the situation could overwhelm him, and his behavior might be misinterpreted by law enforcement or others.

Earlier this year, I successfully advocated to get Westchester County to adopt the "Blue Envelope" program, which provides a simple structure for clear communication between Officers and neuro-divergent drivers, ensuring safer outcomes for everyone involved.

The NYS Sheriff's Association has been actively promoting the program within the law enforcement community and has found wide recognition of its value. Distributing and promoting the program to the neuro-divergent drivers remains a challenge. This bill provides a very practical approach by engaging the DMV to distribute the envelopes. While the local police departments that have adopted the program to date will still be engaged in that role, this will allow public messaging to direct drivers to their local DMV office for the envelopes, relieving local PDs of that burden.

In short, this bill outlines a very practical approach to implementing a program that helps neurodivergent adults lead safer and more independent lives.

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