A new law signed by Gov. Maura Healey aimed at helping people with autism during interactions with police has roots on the UMass Amherst campus. 

The so-called “Blue Envelope Bill” sets up a voluntary program where drivers or passengers can provide information helpful to law enforcement during traffic stops or other encounters. The envelope may say the individual processes information or communicates differently during stressful situations, for example, giving the police officer additional insight. 

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UMass Amherst Chief of Police Tyrone Parham said the new law will help both motorists with autism, but also law enforcement. 

“They now know that this blue envelope program exists in the state, that this officer has likely had some additional training,” Parham said. “Perhaps it'll give some confidence to the driver that things aren’t going to be like some of the worst-case scenarios that they’ve seen across the country.” 

Parham said the idea first came out of a meeting five years ago with UMass Disability Services and a then-student who had done research on the topic. 

“I wasn’t aware of so many thoughts and perceptions going on, sometimes from autistic drivers, from the officer side,” he said. “So, this was really an educational part, for me as I was learning what some autistic drivers are going through.” 

Parham initially thought it might be something to try on campus, or perhaps in some local communities who might also have gone along with it. But soon, a survey was sent out to law enforcement agencies across the commonwealth and the blue envelope concept proved to be quite popular. In fact, the Massachusetts State Police started a similar program on its own in 2024, joining some other local communities before the law was passed at the statewide level this year. 

Massachusetts joins Connecticut, which passed a similar law.