Bill > H1283

This bill mandates that law enforcement officers and correction officers, meaning those responsible for policing or the custody and care of incarcerated individuals, receive specialized training on interacting with individuals on the autism spectrum. This training, which must be incorporated into recruit basic training by January 1, 2017, will cover topics such as understanding the nature of autism spectrum disorders, appropriate interrogation and interview techniques that respect an individual's rights, and methods for safely locating and returning individuals who may wander. The training will also emphasize de-escalation techniques, recognizing an autistic person's "agency" (their ability to make independent decisions), and differentiating autistic behaviors from uncooperative ones, with the goal of ensuring the safety and well-being of both the officers and autistic individuals in various situations, including within correctional facilities. The bill specifies that autistic adults and experts on autism should be involved in presenting this training, and it aims to integrate this new curriculum into existing training hours without increasing the total required training time.