SESSION WATCH
Superseded — its companion passed HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. CS/CS/HB 365

Law Enforcement Officer Interactions with Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder
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SPONSOR
Judiciary Committee; Criminal Justice Subcommittee; Valdés
FILED BY
Susan Valdés — District 64, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
COMPANION
SB 418 — CS/CS/HB 365 was set aside and its companion carried the policy

Filed under Criminal Justice.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Law Enforcement Officer Interactions with Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder; Requires DHSMV to establish program to improve communication between individuals with autism spectrum disorder & law enforcement officers under certain circumstances; requires DHSMV to develop & make available to such individuals certain envelope & card by specified date; provides requirements for envelope & card; authorizes such individuals to request envelope & card from DHSMV or tax collector's office beginning on specified date; requires Criminal Justice Standards & Training Commission within FDLE to establish employment training component relating to such individuals; provides requirements for training law enforcement officers on interacting with such individuals; requires training component to be included in specified course by specified date; requires specified law enforcement officers to complete training component by specified date.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Mandates autism interaction training for all law enforcement officers.

The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles must create a blue envelope and card program to help individuals with autism communicate with police. This new identification tool is available to request starting January 1, 2027.

The Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission must develop a specific training component on interacting with individuals with autism spectrum disorder. This replaces the previous, less specific training requirement.

All law enforcement officers must complete this new training component by July 1, 2030. It must be included in basic skills courses for initial certification by July 1, 2028.

The training must cover de-escalation, interviewing techniques, and recognizing the individual's agency. It also requires officers to learn about the new blue envelope and card program.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Mandatory In-Person Training for New Officers majors. 943.1727(3)

AIRequires all new law enforcement officers to complete in-person training on interacting with individuals with autism spectrum disorder by July 1, 2028.

“must include in-person instruction for initial certification” bill text, line 83 →
§ 2 Mandatory Training for Existing Officers majors. 943.1727(4)(b)

AIRequires all currently certified law enforcement officers to complete the autism interaction training by July 1, 2030.

“Each certified law enforcement officer must successfully complete such training component” bill text, line 119 →
§ 3 Training Counts Toward Certification Hours moderates. 943.1727(2)

AIChanges the autism training from optional to mandatory credit toward the 40 hours required for continued employment as a law enforcement officer.

“Completion of the training component counts toward the 40 hours of instruction”
§ 4 Blue Envelope and Card Program moderates. 320.021(2)(a)

AIRequires the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to create a blue envelope and card program for individuals with autism spectrum disorder by January 1, 2027.

“the department shall develop and make available to individuals with autism spectrum disorder a blue envelope” bill text, line 39 →
TIMELINE
3/10/2026
Laid on Table; Companion bill(s) passed, see SB 418 (Ch. 2026-147 )
3/2/2026
Added to Second Reading Calendar
3/2/2026
Bill referred to House Calendar
2/26/2026
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 2)
2/26/2026
CS Filed
2/26/2026
Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
2/26/2026
Reported out of Judiciary Committee
2/26/2026
Favorable with CS by Judiciary Committee
2/24/2026
Added to Judiciary Committee agenda
2/24/2026
Now in Judiciary Committee
2/24/2026
Reported out of Budget Committee
2/24/2026
Favorable by Budget Committee
2/20/2026
Added to Budget Committee agenda
2/13/2026
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
2/13/2026
Now in Budget Committee
2/13/2026
Referred to Judiciary Committee
2/13/2026
Referred to Budget Committee
2/12/2026
CS Filed
2/12/2026
Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
2/12/2026
Reported out of Criminal Justice Subcommittee
2/12/2026
Favorable with CS by Criminal Justice Subcommittee
2/10/2026
Added to Criminal Justice Subcommittee agenda
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
11/18/2025
Now in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
11/18/2025
Referred to Judiciary Committee
11/18/2025
Referred to Budget Committee
11/18/2025
Referred to Government Operations Subcommittee
11/18/2025
Referred to Criminal Justice Subcommittee
11/5/2025
Filed
23 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 320.021
+225 / −0
s. 943.1727
+383 / −50
STAFF ANALYSES