The Senate Transportation Committee voted to report SB 1265 and re‑refer it to the Finance Committee. The bill would establish a voluntary program whereby DMV would provide a “blue envelope” to people who register for it; during a traffic stop an individual could hand the envelope to an officer to indicate a communication or sensory need and provide relevant information without verbal exchange.

Sponsor Senator DeStef described the envelope as a tool to reduce stress and improve de‑escalation for people with autism, anxiety, or other communication challenges. He explained the envelope would contain the registrant’s registration and license and a short explanation of the person’s needs; DMV would not require disclosure of medical details and would not store protected health information.

Mark Lobel of the Virginia Autism Foundation and representatives of the Autism Society provided supporting testimony, stressing the program’s low cost and real‑world benefits for first responders and people with communication differences. Commissioner Lackey of the DMV testified the agency could absorb the estimated cost internally and had previously listed the request in a budget placeholder but would not pursue a separate appropriation after agency review.

Senators voted Ayes 15, No 0 to report the bill and refer it to Finance. Committee discussion emphasized the program’s role as part of prior legislative steps requiring law‑enforcement training on interactions with people with autism.

Votes on SB 1265
Motion: report and re‑refer to Finance. Mover: not specified. Second: not specified. Vote: Ayes 15, No 0. Outcome: reported as amended and re‑referred to Finance.