TO AMEND ARTICLE 3, CHAPTER 3, TITLE 56 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO REGISTRATION AND LICENSING GENERALLY, BY ADDING SECTION 56-3-116, TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES MAY ADD A NOTATION TO A PRIVATE PASSENGER-CARRYING MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION TO INDICATE THE VEHICLE OWNER MAY HAVE AN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, ASPERGER SYNDROME, OR TOURETTE SYNDROME.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Article 3, Chapter 3, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

    "Section 56-3-116.    Upon the request of the vehicle registration holder, the Department of Motor Vehicles may add a notation to a private passenger-carrying motor vehicle registration to indicate that the driver may have an autism spectrum disorder, Asperger syndrome, or Tourette syndrome. The application for this special motor vehicle registration notation is voluntary and must include an original certificate from a licensed physician, as defined in Section 40-47-20, that certifies that the applicant has been diagnosed with the disorder or syndrome. The diagnosis notation will only appear if a law enforcement check is run on a vehicle's license plate through the department's online interface with law enforcement to alert the officer that the driver may have an autism spectrum disorder, Asperger syndrome, or Tourette syndrome."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect one year after approval by the Governor.