ATLANTA — Georgia lawmakers unanimously approved legislation mandating training for first responders on how to interact with people with autism.
Rio’s Law is named in honor of Layla Luna’s autistic son, Rio.
Luna said she’s thrilled the measure is now on Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk.
“It’s exciting and it’s historic. This is something that will go down in history,” she said.
The bill also creates a specialized license plate to let first responders know a person in the vehicle has autism.
Last month, Sen. Brian Strickland, the sponsor of Rio’s Law, said he knows firsthand how beneficial the bill is.
“The biggest thing that I have learned as a dad of a child with autism is, as I consistently say, autism is a gift. I don’t think that it’s a disability,” Strickland said.
The Georgia Senate passed Rio’s Law last month.