California 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: In Committee 7 D cosponsors

SB 1285 — Driver's licenses: disability identifier.

Last action — May 16 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

Track this bill free

No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Existing law requires that each application for an original or a renewal of a driver's license contain certain information, including the applicant's true full name, age, and gender. Existing law also requires the application for a driver's license or identification card to contain certain specified elements, including, among other things, whether the applicant has served in the Armed Forces of the United States and a space for an applicant to enroll in the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. This bill would require the application forms for a driver's license or identification card to contain a space for a person to voluntarily disclose that the applicant has a disability, as defined by the federal American with Disabilities Act (ADA) , and that the disability interferes with the person's ability to effectively communicate with a peace officer. The bill would require the disclosed disability to be certified by a licensed health professional, as specified, on appropriate forms to be developed by the Department of Motor Vehicles. The bill would require the department to develop an appropriate disability identifier symbol to be placed on a driver's license or identification card that is discreet and represents all types of disabilities, as specified. The bill would provide that a person may choose to no longer have a disability identifier symbol placed on the person's driver's license or identification card and would prohibit the department from retaining any information related to the person's disability. The bill would require the department to issue a new driver's license or identification card without a disability identifier symbol upon request. The bill would require the department to work with the Department of the California Highway Patrol and other relevant stakeholders to develop peace officer training on the meaning of the voluntary disability identifier symbol. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2028, to provide a report to the Legislature and relevant policy committees detailing the disability identifier symbol program and the percentage of persons issued a driver's license or identification card who requested a disability identifier symbol. This bill would make the above provisions operative on January 1, 2027.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. May 16 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

  2. Set for hearing May 16.

  3. May 13 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.

  4. Set for hearing May 13.

  5. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  6. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0. Page 3732.) (April 23).

  7. Set for hearing April 23.

  8. Referred to Com. on TRANS.

  9. From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 17.

  10. Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 8 co-sponsors · 113 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (8)

Not signed on (113)

113 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 113 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar

Passed 15 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 9000
Republican 3000
Unaffiliated 3000
Total 15000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (15)
Member Party Vote
Portantino — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Newman — Yea
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Blakespear, Catherine S. Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 1285 do?
Existing law requires that each application for an original or a renewal of a driver's license contain certain information, including the applicant's true full name, age, and gender. Existing law also requires the application for a driver's license or identification card to contain certain specified elements, including, among other things, whether the applicant has served in the Armed Forces of the United States and a space for an applicant to enroll in the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. This bill would require the application forms for a driver's license or identification card to contain a space for a person to voluntarily disclose that the applicant has a disability, as defined by the federal American with Disabilities Act (ADA) , and that the disability interferes with the person's ability to effectively communicate with a peace officer. The bill would require the disclosed disability to be certified by a licensed health professional, as specified, on appropriate forms to be developed by the Department of Motor Vehicles. The bill would require the department to develop an appropriate disability identifier symbol to be placed on a driver's license or identification card that is discreet and represents all types of disabilities, as specified. The bill would provide that a person may choose to no longer have a disability identifier symbol placed on the person's driver's license or identification card and would prohibit the department from retaining any information related to the person's disability. The bill would require the department to issue a new driver's license or identification card without a disability identifier symbol upon request. The bill would require the department to work with the Department of the California Highway Patrol and other relevant stakeholders to develop peace officer training on the meaning of the voluntary disability identifier symbol. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2028, to provide a report to the Legislature and relevant policy committees detailing the disability identifier symbol program and the percentage of persons issued a driver's license or identification card who requested a disability identifier symbol. This bill would make the above provisions operative on January 1, 2027.
Who sponsors SB 1285?
SB 1285 is sponsored by Fong, Mike (Democratic), Irwin, Jacqui (Democratic), Rendon, Zbur, Rick Chavez (Democratic), Laird, John (Democratic), Addis, Dawn (Democratic), Allen, Benjamin (Democratic), Atkins, and Wiener, Scott D. (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 1285?
This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 1285?
Track SB 1285 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on SB 1285

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of SB 1285

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →