OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington drivers who are on the autism spectrum or have other developmental disabilities will soon be able to hand police officers a bright blue envelope containing their license and registration during a traffic stop, under legislation signed Thursday by Gov. Jay Inslee.
House Bill 2013, informally dubbed the “Blue Envelope Law,” sailed through the Democratic-controlled Legislature last week on votes of 94-2 in the House and 45-3 in the Senate. The measure directs the Department of Licensing (DOL) to begin supplying the optional envelopes by January 1, 2025 and to add a voluntary identifier to the state’s online vehicle-registration portal.
Supporters say the program will give officers an immediate visual cue that a driver may process information differently, allowing them to adjust their tone, slow the pace of questioning and avoid sudden commands or gestures that can trigger anxiety. “A few extra seconds and clear instructions can keep a routine stop from spiraling out of control,” bill sponsor Rep. April Berg, D-Mill Creek, told lawmakers during February testimony.
The law also requires the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission to add new curricula on developmental disabilities, building on de-escalation modules adopted after the 2020 police-reform package. Training materials will be available to local sheriffs’ offices and municipal departments at no cost.
Programs using color-coded envelopes began in Connecticut nearly a decade ago and have since spread to at least nine other states, including neighboring Oregon. Analysts at the non-profit Council of State Governments say early data show a decrease in citations and arrests when the envelopes are presented, though long-term studies are still limited.
Not everyone is persuaded. The ACLU of Washington warned that voluntary identifiers could be logged into databases and misused. “People with disabilities shouldn’t have to flag themselves just to feel safe,” staff attorney Maya Klein said in an interview. Lawmakers responded by prohibiting the DOL and police agencies from retaining envelope-use records beyond 90 days.
The DOL has been allocated $215,000 to design the envelopes, translate instructions into 15 languages and conduct public-awareness campaigns. The agency told SourceRated it expects to begin beta-testing prototypes with advocacy groups this summer.
Looking ahead, transportation committees in both chambers have asked the University of Washington to study whether the envelopes reduce use-of-force incidents. A preliminary report is due to the Legislature by December 2026, setting the stage for possible expansion of the program to transit and ferry systems.