S 192 — Establishes certain protections for drivers and holders of non-driver identification cards diagnosed with certain disabilities.*

S192 SCS SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE, No.

192 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 222nd LEGISLATURE   PRE-FILEDADOPTED FORFEBRUARY INTRODUCTION5, IN THE 2026 SESSION     Sponsored by:

SenatorSenator  PATRICK J.

District 18 (Middlesex) SenatorSenator  PARKER SPACE District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)   Co-Sponsored by:

Senators SingletonSingleton, Burgess, Henry and BurgessSchepisi         SYNOPSIS      PermitsEstablishes person with certain brainprotections injuriesfor todrivers voluntarilyand makeholders notationof onnon-driver driver's license, identification card,cards anddiagnosed inwith MVCcertain registry;disabilities.

establishes  programCURRENT toVERSION trainOF lawTEXT enforcement     officersSubstitute inas interactionsadopted withby personsthe withSenate certainTransportation brainCommittee. injuries.

     CURRENT  VERSIONAn OFAct TEXTconcerning     protections Introducedfor Pendingdrivers Technicaland Reviewholders byof Legislativenon-driver Counsel.identification cards with certain disabilities, amending various parts of the statutory law, and supplementing Title 39 of the Revised Statutes.

   An Act concerning motor vehicle drivers with certain brain injuries and supplementing Title 39 and Title 53 of the Revised Statutes.

       1.    a.  Section The1 Chiefof AdministratorP.L.2023, ofc.57 the(C.39:3-10f8) Newis Jerseyamended Motorto Vehicleread Commissionas shallfollows:  permit     a1.    basica.  driver’sThe licenseChief orAdministrator non-driverof identificationthe cardNew holderJersey toMotor voluntarilyVehicle indicateCommission onshall allow the holder’sholder basicof driver’sa driver's license or non-driver identification card to indicate that the person has been diagnosed with a[an] traumaticautism orspectrum acquireddisorder brain[or] injury, by a physician,communication psychologist,disorder, or anyan otheracquired healthbrain careinjury. professional licensed pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.

     Theb.    designationUpon shallrequest beby usedany byperson awho lawhas enforcementbeen officerdiagnosed orwith an[an] emergencyautism medicalspectrum professionaldisorder to[or] identify, anda effectivelycommunication communicatedisorder, withor aan personacquired whobrain hasinjury, beenor diagnosedby withthe aparent, traumaticguardian, or acquiredcaregiver brainof injurythe person, and shallupon notsubmission beof used for any otherdocumentation purposerequired bypursuant anyto othersubsection person.c.

    of b.   this Thesection, designationthe indicatingchief thatadministrator ashall personindicate hasthe beenautism diagnosedspectrum withdisorder a[or] traumatic, communication disorder, or acquired brain injury diagnosis by notating such information on the person's driver's license or non-driver identification card under the column designated for restrictions.  A holder of a driver’s license or non-driver identification card who makes a voluntary designation pursuant to subsectionthis a.section shall have the opportunity to remove the designation at any time.

of     thisc.     sectionThe shallchief beadministrator givenshall, ain restrictionconsultation codewith thatthe shallCommissioner beof displayedHuman onServices, establish the person’sdocumentation driver’srequired licenseto orbe non-driverproduced identificationby ina accordanceperson withwho procedureshas prescribedbeen bydiagnosed thewith chief[an] administrator. autism     spectrum Adisorder holder[or] of, a basiccommunication driver'sdisorder, licenseor an acquired brain injury, or non-driverby identificationthe cardparent, whoguardian, makesor acaregiver voluntaryof designationthe pursuantperson, in order to thisreceive sectiona shalldriver's havelicense theor opportunitynon-driver toidentification removecard with the designationnotation atauthorized anypursuant time.to subsection b.

       2.    a.   The Chief Administrator of thethis Newsection. Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall establish and maintain an automated Statewide registry accessible by law enforcement officers for the purposes of identifying and effectively communicating with a person who has been diagnosed with a traumatic or acquired brain injury by a physician, psychologist, or any other health care professional licensed pursuant to Title of the Revised Statutes.

     d.    The chiefCommissioner administratorof shallHuman permitServices aand personthe Attorney General, in consultation with the Superintendent of the Division of State Police within the Department of Law and Public Safety and at least one organization that advocates on behalf of persons who have been diagnosed with [an] autism spectrum disorder [or] , a traumaticcommunication disorder, or an acquired brain injuryinjury, toshall voluntarilyjointly reportdevelop theguidance diagnosis to theassist commissionlaw forenforcement inclusionofficers in theeffectively registry. communicating with a person who has been diagnosed with [an] autism spectrum disorder [or] , a communication disorder, or an acquired brain injury.  The registryAttorney General shall beensure capablethat a copy of storingthe information,written whichguidance, shalland include,any butother notrelated bematerials limiteddeveloped to:to facilitate compliance with the guidance, is distributed to each police department in the State.

(1)(cf:  P.L.2023, c.57, s.1)        2.    (New section) a.  The Chief Administrator of the licenseNew plateJersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall establish and registrationmaintain informationan ofautomated anyStatewide motorregistry vehicleaccessible thatby law enforcement officers for the purposes of identifying and effectively communicating with a person intendswho has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, a communication disorder, or an acquired brain injury by a physician, psychologist, or any other health care professional licensed pursuant to regularlyTitle operate;45 of the Revised Statutes.

(2) The theregistry emergencyshall contactbe informationcapable of astoring personinformation, whowhich canshall communicateinclude, onbut behalfnot ofbe limited to:       (1)   the personlicense withplate and registration information of any motor vehicle that the traumaticperson orintends acquiredto brainregularly injury;operate;

and     (3)(2)   anythe otheremergency contact information thatof may assist a lawperson enforcementauthorized officerto whencommunicate communicatingon withbehalf of the person. person     diagnosed b.   with Theautism holderspectrum ofdisorder, a basiccommunication driver'sdisorder, license or non-driveran identificationacquired cardbrain mayinjury; voluntarily submit information to the registry established pursuant to subsection a.

ofand this     section,(3)   throughany theother commission’sinformation website,that bymay mail,assist or when completing an application for a driver’slaw license,enforcement motorofficer vehiclewhen registration,communicating orwith non-driver identification card issued by the commission.person.

     Ab.    holderThe ofchief aadministrator basicshall driver'spermit licensea orperson non-driverdiagnosed identificationwith cardautism whospectrum submitsdisorder, informationa tocommunication thedisorder, registryor establishedan pursuantacquired tobrain thisinjury sectionto shallvoluntarily havereport the opportunitydiagnosis to revise the information,commission updatefor theinclusion information,in or be removed from the registry atestablished anypursuant time.to subsection a.

    of c.    this Informationsection submittedthrough pursuantthe tocommission’s thisInternet sectionwebsite, shallby onlymail, beor availablewhen to:completing an application for a driver’s license, motor vehicle registration, or non-driver identification card issued by the commission.

(1)     employeesA holder of thea commissionbasic whodriver’s arelicense designatedor bynon-driver theidentification chiefcard administratorwho submits information to collectthe andregistry maintainestablished thepursuant information;to subsection a.

andof (2)this lawsection enforcementshall officershave whenthe accessingopportunity to revise the person’sinformation, motorupdate vehiclethe records.information, or be removed from the registry at any time.

     c.     The information shallsubmitted bepursuant exclusivelyto usedthis duringsection ashall motoronly vehiclebe stopavailable orto:  other     law(1)   enforcementemployees actionof tothe assistcommission lawwho enforcementare officersdesignated inby identifyingthe andchief effectivelyadministrator communicatingto withcollect aand personmaintain whothe hasinformation; been diagnosed with a traumatic or acquired brain injury.

     Any information submitted to the commission pursuant to this section shall not be considered a government record pursuant to P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.), or P.L.2001, c.404 (C.47:1A-5 et al.), and shall     not(2)   belaw discoverableenforcement asofficers awhen governmentaccessing recordthe byperson’s anymotor person,vehicle entity,records. or governmental agency, except upon a subpoena issued by a grand jury or a court order in a criminal matter.

     d.    The chiefinformation administratorshall andbe employeesexclusively ofused theduring commissiona whomotor arevehicle designatedstop byor theother chieflaw administrator,enforcement foraction the purposes of discharging their duties pursuant to P.L.    assist ,law c.   enforcement (C.       officers )in (pendingidentifying beforeand theeffectively Legislaturecommunicating aswith thisa bill),person shallwho nothas bebeen liablediagnosed towith anyautism personspectrum fordisorder, civila damages,communication disorder, or subjectan toacquired criminalbrain prosecutioninjury. resulting from or caused by:

(1)     anyAny disruptioninformation orsubmitted failureto inthe Internetcommission servicepursuant causedto bythis anysection accident,shall malfunction,not actbe ofconsidered sabotagea orgovernment God,record orpursuant anyto otherP.L.1963, conditionc.73 or(C.47:1A-1 circumstanceet thatseq.), theP.L.2001, commissionc.404 has(C.47:1A-5 not,et directlyal.), or indirectly, caused, and which prevents the holdercommon oflaw aconcerning basicaccess driver'sto licensepublic orrecords non-driverand identificationshall cardnot frombe accessing,discoverable oras inputtinga informationgovernment into,record theby registryany establishedperson, pursuantentity, to this section or whichgovernmental resultsagency, in,except orupon prevents,a thesubpoena chiefissued administratorby anda designatedgrand commissionjury employeesor anda lawcourt enforcementorder officersin froma accessing,criminal establishing,matter. or maintaining the database;

(2)     anyd.    misuseThe of,chief oradministrator and employees of the failurecommission who are designated by the chief administrator, for the purposes of discharging their duties pursuant to P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), shall not be liable to any person for civil damages or omissionsubject to inputcriminal accurateprosecution information,resulting from or thecaused inputtingby:  of     inaccurate(1)   any disruption or outdatedfailure informationin intoInternet theservice registrycaused by any accident, malfunction, act of sabotage or God, or any other condition or circumstance that the commission has not directly or indirectly caused, which prevents the holder of a basic driver'sdriver’s license or non-driver identification card;card from accessing or entering information into the registry established pursuant to subsection a.

or (3) the inability of anythis lawsection enforcementor officerwhich toresults makein contact,or inprevents goodthe faith,chief withadministrator anyand designated emergencycommission contactemployees person. and Thislaw limitationenforcement ofofficers liability is inapplicable if the failure resulted from aestablishing, maliciousaccessing, purpose or amaintaining wanton and willful disregard for the safetydatabase; of persons or property.

     e.    (2)   Theany chiefmisuse administratorof mayinformation, adopt,failure pursuant to theenter "Administrativeaccurate Procedureinformation, Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), any rules or regulationsentry necessary for the implementation of P.L.   inaccurate ,or c.    outdated (C.      information )into (pending before the Legislatureregistry asby thisany bill). holder      3.    a.  The Superintendent of the Division of State Police within the Department of Law and Public Safety, in consultation with the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission and the Commissioner of Human Services, shall develop a programbasic todriver’s assistlicense and train law enforcement officers to identify and effectively communicate with a person who has been diagnosed with a traumatic or acquirednon-driver brainidentification injurycard; by a physician, psychologist, or any other health care professional licensed pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes.

 or      The(3)   programthe shallinability include,of butany notlaw beenforcement limitedofficer to,to trainingmake contact, in de-escalationgood methodsfaith, when interacting with a personperson’s whodesignated hasemergency beencontact diagnosedwho withis aauthorized traumaticto orcommunicate acquiredon brainbehalf injury, proper utilization of the registryperson established pursuant sectionto 2paragraph of(2) P.L.    , c.    (C.      ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), and any other information, as recommended by the Commissioner of Humansubsection Services,a. that may be useful to law enforcement officers when interacting with a person who has been diagnosed with a traumatic or acquired brain injury.

    of b.   this Thesection.  programHowever, establishedthis pursuantlimitation toof subsectionliability a.shall be inapplicable if the failure resulted from a malicious or wanton and willful disregard for the safety of persons or property.

of     thise.     sectionThe shallchief beadministrator availableshall annuallyadopt, pursuant to everythe county“Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and municipalregulations lawnecessary enforcementto agencyimplement inthe provisions of this State.section.

       4.   3.    a. Section Sections2 1of andP.L.2008, 2c.80 of(C.26:2-190) thisis actamended shallto takeread effectas onfollows:  the     first2.    daya.  The Commissioner of Health and the seventhCommissioner monthof followingHuman enactment,Services, butin consultation with the ChiefNew AdministratorJersey ofFire and Emergency Medical Services Institute and the New Jersey MotorState VehicleFirst CommissionAid mayCouncil, takeshall anydevelop administrativea actiontraining incurriculum advancewith the purpose of thatinforming dateemergency responders of [the risks associated] safety considerations for interacting with persons diagnosed with autism [or] spectrum disorder, an intellectual or other developmental disability, deafness or hearing loss, blindness or vision loss, a communication disorder, or an acquired brain injury, as well as providing instruction in appropriate recognition and response techniques [concerning] to employ when interacting with persons diagnosed with these disabilities.  The curriculum shall be necessaryincorporated into existing time requirements for thetraining timelyand implementationcontinuing education of thisemergency act.responders.

     b.    SectionPrior 3to ofcertification thisby act shall take effect on the firstDepartment day of theHealth, thirteentheach monthemergency followingmedical enactment,technician buttrained thein Superintendentbasic oflife thesupport Divisionservices ofas Statedefined Police may take any administrative action in advancesection 1 of thatP.L.1985, datec.351 as(C.26:2K-21) shall be necessaryrequired forto satisfactorily complete the timelytraining implementationdeveloped ofunder thissubsection act.a.

 of  this STATEMENTsection.   Every     emergency Themedical billtechnician permitscertified theprior holderto ofthe aeffective basicdate driver’sof licensethis oract non-drivershall, identificationwithin card36 tomonths voluntarilyof indicatethe oneffective thedate licenseof orthis identificationact, cardsatisfactorily thatcomplete the holdertraining hasin beenrecognition diagnosedand withresponse atechniques traumatic[concerning orthese] acquired brain injury.  The designation is to beemploy usedwhen byinteracting lawwith enforcementpersons officersdiagnosed orwith emergencythe medicaldisabilities professionalsidentified toin identifysubsection anda. effectively communicate with the person.

     The designation is to be given a restriction code that is required to be displayed on the person’s basic driver’s license or non-driver identification in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Chief Administrator (chief administrator) of thethis Newsection, Jerseythrough Motorexisting Vehiclecontinuing Commissioneducation (MVC). requirements. The holder of a basic driver's license or non-driver identification card who makes the voluntary designation may have the designation removed at any time.

     c.     The billCommissioner requiresof theHealth chiefshall administratoradopt torules establish and maintainregulations, anpursuant automatedto Statewide registry accessible by law enforcement officials for the purposes“Administrative ofProcedure identifyingAct,” andP.L.1968, effectivelyc.410 communicating(C.52:14B-1 withet aseq.), person who has been diagnosed with a traumatic or acquired brain injury by a physician, psychologist, or any other licensed health care professional.  The registry is to beeffectuate capablethe purposes of storingthis information,act. which is to include, but not be limited to:

the(cf: license plate and registration information of any motor vehicle that the person intends to regularly operate;

theP.L.2012, emergencyc.17, contacts.143) information       4.    Section 3 of P.L.2008, c.80 (C.52:27D-25jj) is amended to read as follows:       3.    a.  The Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs, in consultation with the New Jersey Fire and Emergency Medical Services Institute, shall adopt a persontraining whocourse canregarding communicate[the risks associated] safety considerations for interacting with persons diagnosed with autism [or] spectrum disorder, an intellectual or other developmental disability, deafness or hearing loss, blindness or vision loss, a communication disorder, or an acquired brain injury, and appropriate recognition and response techniques [concerning] to employ when interacting with persons with these disabilities, based on behalfthe ofcurriculum developed by the person;Departments of Health [and Senior Services] and Human Services pursuant to subsection a.

andof anysection other2 informationof thatP.L.2008, mayc.80 assist(C.26:2-190).  a law enforcement officer when communicating with the person.       Under the bill, a person may submit information to the registry through the MVC’s website, by mail, or when completing an application for a driver’s license, motor vehicle registration, or non-driver identification card.  The informationcourse providedcurriculum to the MVC for the registry is to only be accessible to MVC employees who are designated by the chief administrator to collect and maintaininstruction theshall information and law enforcement officers during a motor vehicle stop or other law enforcement action.  Information submitted to the MVC is not to be subjectadministered to publicevery disclosurefirefighter underrecruit, thevolunteer “Open Public Records Act” or topaid. be discoverable as a government record by any person, entity, or governmental agency except in certain circumstances.       The bill provides for certain limitations on civil liabilities and on criminal prosecution for the chief administrator and MVC employees designated by the chief administrator.  The limitations on civil liabilities and on criminal prosecution are inapplicable if certain failures, as provided in the bill, resulted from a malicious purpose or a wanton and willful disregard for the safety of persons or property.