Bill
Bill > H0365
FL H0365
FL H0365Law Enforcement Officer Interactions with Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder
summary
Introduced
11/05/2025
11/05/2025
In Committee
02/13/2026
02/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
An act relating to law enforcement officer interactions with individuals with autism spectrum disorder; creating s. 320.021, F.S.; requiring the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to establish a program to improve communication between individuals with autism spectrum disorder and law enforcement officers under certain circumstances; requiring the department to develop and make available to individuals with autism spectrum disorder a certain envelope by a specified date; providing requirements for the envelope; authorizing individuals with autism spectrum disorder to request the envelope from the department or a tax collector's office, beginning on a specified date; amending s. 943.1727, F.S.; defining the terms "agency" and "autism spectrum disorder"; requiring the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission within the Department of Law Enforcement to establish an employment training component relating to individuals with autism spectrum disorder; providing requirements for training law enforcement officers on interacting with individuals with autism spectrum disorder; requiring the training component to be included in a specified course by a specified date; requiring specified law enforcement officers to hb365-01-c1 complete the training component by a specified date; providing an effective date.
AI Summary
This bill establishes a "blue envelope program" to improve communication between individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and law enforcement officers during traffic stops, requiring the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to develop and make available by January 1, 2027, a blue envelope that can hold important documents like driver's licenses and insurance proof, and which will also feature communication guidelines for officers and identify the driver as having ASD. Additionally, the bill mandates the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, part of the Department of Law Enforcement, to create and implement a mandatory employment training component for law enforcement officers on interacting with individuals with ASD, covering topics such as understanding ASD, de-escalation techniques, and recognizing an individual's "agency" (their ability to make independent decisions), with this training to be incorporated into initial certification courses by July 1, 2028, and completed by all certified officers by July 1, 2030.
Committee Categories
Budget and Finance, Justice
Sponsors (11)
Susan L. Valdés (R)*,
Bruce Antone (D),
Webster Barnaby (R),
Robin Bartleman (D),
Mike Gottlieb (D),
Rita Harris (D),
Johanna López (D),
Rachel Plakon (R),
Leonard Spencer (D),
Paula Stark (R),
Allison Tant (D),
Other Sponsors (1)
Criminal Justice Subcommittee (House)
Last Action
House Budget Committee Hearing (11:45:00 2/24/2026 ) (on 02/24/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/365 |
| Analysis - Budget Committee (Post-Meeting) | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/365/Analyses/h0365c.BUC.PDF |
| BillText | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/365/BillText/c1/PDF |
| Analysis - Criminal Justice Subcommittee (Post-Meeting) | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/365/Analyses/h0365b.CRM.PDF |
| https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/365/Amendment/339529/PDF | |
| Analysis - Criminal Justice Subcommittee (Post-Meeting) | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/365/Analyses/h0365a.CRM.PDF |
| BillText | https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/365/BillText/Filed/PDF |
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