Bill Text: NJ A1741 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Allows persons diagnosed with autism to voluntarily enter medical information in MVC database and make notation on driver's licenses, permits, and non-driver identification cards.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee [A1741 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A1741-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman BRIAN E. RUMPF
District 9 (Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Allows persons diagnosed with autism to voluntarily enter medical information in MVC database and make notation on driver's licenses, permits, and non-driver identification cards.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning motor vehicle safety and supplementing Title 39 of the Revised Statutes and amending P.L.2013, c.139.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) a. As used in this act, "motor vehicle record" means any record that pertains to a motor vehicle operator's permit, driver's license, motor vehicle registration, or identification card issued by the commission.
b. The Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall establish a program to assist law enforcement officers in recognizing and effectively communicating with a person who has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder by a physician, psychologist, or any other health care professional licensed pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes. Under the program, a person diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder may voluntarily report the diagnosis to the commission and identify any motor vehicle which the person intends to regularly operate.
The person may submit the information through the commission's website, by mail, or when filing an application with the commission for a motor vehicle record. In addition, the person may submit any other information that may assist a law enforcement officer when communicating with the person. The information shall be included as part of the person's motor vehicle record.
c. Information submitted pursuant to subsection b. of this section only shall be available to: (1) employees of the commission who are designated by the chief administrator to collect and maintain the information; and (2) law enforcement officers when accessing the person's motor vehicle record. The information shall be exclusively used during a motor vehicle stop or other law enforcement action to assist law enforcement officers in recognizing and effectively communicating with a person who has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.
d. Any information submitted to the commission pursuant to this section shall not be considered a public record pursuant to P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.), P.L.2001, c.404 (C.47:1A-5 et al.), or the common law concerning access to public records and shall not be discoverable as a public record by any person, entity, or governmental agency.
e. The chief administrator may adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), any rules or regulations necessary for the implementation of this act.
2. Section 1 of P.L.2013, c.139 (C.39:3-10.8a) is amended to read as follows:
1. a. The Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall permit a license or identification card holder to voluntarily indicate that the person is an insulin dependent diabetic.
b. The designation indicating that a person is an insulin dependent diabetic pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be done in accordance with procedures prescribed by the chief administrator. The designation shall be used by a law enforcement official or emergency medical professional to diagnose a person who has been rendered unable to communicate due to a diabetic seizure and shall not be used for any other purpose by any other person.
c. The chief administrator shall permit a validated permit, probationary or basic driver's license holder, or non-driver identification card holder to voluntarily indicate that the holder has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder by a physician, psychologist, or any other health care professional licensed pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.
The designation indicating that a person has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder shall be done in accordance with procedures prescribed by the chief administrator. The designation shall be used by a law enforcement officer or emergency medical professional to identify and effectively communicate with a person diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder and shall not be used for any other purpose by any other person.
(cf: P.L.2013, c.139, s.1)
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month following enactment, but the chief administrator may take any anticipatory action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to establish a program to assist law enforcement officers in recognizing and effectively communicating with a person who has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Under the program, a person diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder may voluntarily report the diagnosis to the commission through the commission's website, by mail, or when filing an application with the commission for a motor vehicle record. In addition, the person may identify any motor vehicle that the person intends to regularly operate and provide any other information that may assist a law enforcement officer when communicating with the person. The bill defines "motor vehicle record" as any record that pertains to a motor vehicle operator's permit, driver's license, motor vehicle registration, or identification card issued by the MVC.
The information provided is to be included in the person's motor vehicle record and exclusively used to assist law enforcement officers during a motor vehicle stop or other law enforcement action.
Information submitted to the commission is not to be subject to public disclosure under the "Open Public Records Act" or the common law concerning access to public records or be discoverable as a public record by any person, entity, or governmental agency.
In addition, this bill requires the chief administrator to allow a validated permit, probationary or basic driver's license holder, or non-driver identification card holder to voluntarily indicate that the holder has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. The designation is to be made in accordance with procedures prescribed by the chief administrator and is to be used by law enforcement officials or emergency medical professionals to effectively communicate with a person diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.
