Car Decals for Individuals with Autism (H 5503, S 433)

Though we were very sensitive to the intentions behind this bill, which would have established a voluntary program by which individuals with autism could receive a specially marked driver’s license and a car decal indicating that they have autism, we opposed this legislation. Law enforcement should be expected to approach all individuals with the same amount of compassion and dignity regardless of whether they have personal medical information visually displayed, and we instead urged robust law enforcement training on recognizing and responding to a developmental and other disabilities as an alternative to this bill. An amended version of the House version removed these problematic provisions and passed the House, but died in the Senate.