Committee backs optional 'communication barrier' indicator on driver IDs to aid police interactions
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Summary
The House Transportation Committee reported House Bill 1700 as amended to allow PennDOT to add an optional, nondisclosing 'communication barrier' indicator to driver's licenses and IDs, with medical verification, no fee for add/remove, and safeguards on the symbol and privacy.
Chairman Nielsen on Thursday asked the committee to report House Bill 1700 as amended, saying the measure "is intended to help make interactions easier between police officers and drivers with medical conditions that affect their ability to communicate." Nielsen framed the bill as a public-safety tool intended to reduce stress and potentially deadly consequences during traffic stops.
The bill, summarized by staffer Kyle, would authorize PennDOT to add an optional designation and an electronic record noting a communication barrier after an applicant files a sworn statement from a qualified medical professional, emergency contact information, and a certification that the disclosure is voluntary. "A fee may not be imposed for the addition or removal of the designation," Kyle told the committee. The printed designation must not disclose specific medical details, and the bill specifies use of the Invisible Disabilities Association's stylized lowercase i as the identifier unless a national standard supersedes it.
A broad amendment offered by Chairman Nielsen and requested by PennDOT replaces "communication impairment" with "communication barrier," permits PennDOT to adopt an alternative symbol if a national standard is later adopted, and sets a 42-month effective date. The committee adopted Amendment A02507 by voice vote. Chairman Benninghoff voiced support, saying the marker would help EMS and law enforcement recognize nonverbal or unconscious drivers. Representative Hohenstein, who said he consults frequently with the deaf community, said he would press PennDOT to ensure required medical examinations do not become an economic burden and to develop training so the designation meets its intended purpose.
The chair then called the question; with no negative votes recorded during the roll call, the committee reported House Bill 1700 as amended. The committee did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript. The bill now moves toward floor consideration with the committee recommendation attached.
