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Panel considers bill allowing medical head coverings during driver's license photos; committee lays measure on table
Summary
Senate File 2161 would let people with permanent medical scalp or head coverings keep them on for driver’s license photos with a physician's attestation; the committee discussed temporary vs. permanent conditions and laid the bill on the table for future amendment or omnibus consideration.
Senator Howe presented Senate File 2161 on March 19 as legislation prompted by a constituent who had been required to remove a medical head covering while renewing a driver’s license photo. "Pretty common sense," Howe said, summarizing the bill’s intent to allow, where a physician certifies a permanent condition, an exemption from removing a medical head covering for identification photos.
Committee staff and members focused on whether the bill’s language clearly distinguishes between temporary and permanent medical conditions and whether a one-time physician attestation should suffice for permanent conditions. Mr. Greenfield, committee counsel/staff, said the current draft does not include explicit language to prevent repeated physician attestations and suggested an amendment to align the language with prior committee precedent on similar identification exemptions.
Senators Dzieczynski and Nelson expressed support for the measure as a humane and straightforward fix. Howe agreed to hold the bill over so staff and the sponsor could draft comfort language clarifying that a physician’s statement indicating a permanent condition would remove the need for repeated certification.
Senate File 2161 was laid on the table by the committee; no final passage vote occurred. Committee members asked staff to coordinate with the sponsor and relevant agency (Driver and Vehicle Services) to refine the language before further consideration.
