ATLANTA — When police pull over someone with autism, those stops can quickly escalate into confrontations because of miscommunications and stress.
The General Assembly gave final approval on Wednesday, March 25 to a bill designed to alert police so they handle those situations better.
The legislation, which is now heading to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk, would create a specialty license plate for people with autism or developmental disabilities. It also calls for police to receive training in effective communication and using alternatives to handcuffs.
A star of the Netflix show “Love on the Spectrum,” Connor Tomlinson, urged representatives to support the bill before they voted unanimously to approve it.
“Today...we usher in a new beginning for Georgia as we try to make this state safer for the autistic and neurodiverse,” Tomlinson said in the House.
Sen. Brian Strickland (R-McDonough), who represents Newton County in the 42nd Senate District, celebrated the passage on social media. Strickland, who is the father of a child with autism, was a sponsor of the bill.
“This legislation creates a specialty autism license plate and provides training for first responders, helping ensure safer, more informed interactions with individuals on the autism spectrum,” Strickland wrote on X. “Thank you to Connor Tomlinson and Just Bee for your incredible advocacy in getting this across the finish line. This was a true team effort.”
The bill is called “Rio’s Law,” named after a boy with autism whose mother, Layla Luna, advocated for a similar law that passed in South Carolina after a difficult traffic stop.
“This is a tool for law enforcement. It allows responders to approach a vehicle with situational awareness before escalation into a sensory overload with an individual with autism,” said Rep. Eddie Lumsden, R-Armuchee.
Under Senate Bill 433, the autism license plate would include a symbol to represent autism. It would be issued only to Georgians whom medical practitioners swear have autism or a developmental disability.
News Editor Kate Verity contributed to this report.
