SB 802 — An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in licensing of drivers, providing for communication barrier designation; and imposing penalties.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

850 PRINTER'STHE NO.GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE BILL Session of No.

1418802 THE2025 GENERALINTRODUCED ASSEMBLYBY OFSTEFANO, PENNSYLVANIABOSCOLA, SENATEVOGEL, BILLBARTOLOTTA, SessionCOSTA, SAVAL, PHILLIPS-HILL, BAKER, TARTAGLIONE, PENNYCUICK, FONTANA, SCHWANK, KANE, DUSH, STREET, HAYWOOD, MASTRIANO AND ROTHMAN, MAY 30, 2025 REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, MAY 30, 2025 AN ACT Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of No.the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in licensing of drivers, providing for communication impairment designation;

802and 2025imposing INTRODUCEDpenalties. BY STEFANO, BOSCOLA, VOGEL, BARTOLOTTA, COSTA, SAVAL, SCHWANK, KANE, DUSH, STREET, HAYWOOD, MASTRIANO, ROTHMAN, COMITTA, BROWN, COLLETT, FLYNN, CULVER, MILLER, PICOZZI AND LANGERHOLC, MAY 30, 2025 SENATOR J.

WARD, TRANSPORTATION, AS AMENDED, FEBRUARY 2, 2026 AN ACT Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in licensing of drivers, providing for communication impairment BARRIER designation;

and imposing <-- penalties.

Communication impairment BARRIER designation.

<-- (a) Application.--An individual with a communication impairment BARRIER may request a communication impairment <-- BARRIER designation from the department by submitting an <-- application, prescribed and furnished by the department, that contains the following:

(ii) Attests to the nature of the individual's communication impairmentimpairment. BARRIER.

<-- (2) Signature certification by the individual that the individual:

(i) Voluntarily discloses the communication impairment BARRIER to the department and law enforcement <-- agencies.

(ii) Authorizes the department to update the individual's electronic records maintained by the department to reflect that the individual has a communication impairment BARRIER designation.

<-- (3) A clearly designated space for the individual to voluntarily provide and update emergency contact information for the individual, along with a statement that the individual understands the ability to update emergency contact information through the use of the department's emergency contact information system.

(b) Validation and update.--Upon receiving an application under subsection (a), the department shall independently validate the authenticity of the submitted application and update the individual's electronic records maintained by the department to reflect that the individual has a communication impairment BARRIER designation and any emergency contact <-- information provided by the individual on the application.

20250SB0802PN1418 - 2 - (c) Removal of designation.--An individual may request at any time the removal of a communication impairment BARRIERdesignation <--20250SB0802PN0850 designation- 2 - by submitting to the department an application for removal, prescribed and furnished by the department, which also involves the removal of information related to the communication impairmentimpairment, BARRIER, but the individual may request the retention <-- of emergency contact information in the individual's electronic records maintained by the department.

(d) Fees.-- (1) Subject to paragraph (2), a fee may not be imposed for the addition or removal of a communication impairment <-- BARRIER designation or emergency contact information under <-- this section.

(e) Identifier symbol.-- (1) The department shall use the stylized lowercase "i" commonly used by the Invisible Disabilities Association as the sole identifier symbol to indicate a communication impairmentimpairment. BARRIER.

<-- (2) The identifier symbol under this subsection:

(i) Shall be consistent in design and appearance for all individuals with a communication impairmentimpairment. BARRIER.

<-- (ii) Shall be printed in a visible and clearly distinguishable location on the front of an individual's <-- driver's license or identification card.

(iii) Shall not imply or disclose any specific medical conditions or details related to an individual's communication impairmentimpairment. BARRIER.

<-- 20250SB0802PN1418 - 3 - (f) Record sharing.-- (1) The department shall provide record sharing with law 20250SB0802PN0850 - 3 - enforcement agencies in this Commonwealth through existing networks that can be made accessible during a traffic stop, including the Commonwealth Law Enforcement Assistance Network.

(i) An individual's communication impairment BARRIER <-- designation, excluding any specific medical condition or details related to the individual's communication impairmentimpairment. BARRIER.

<-- (ii) An individual's emergency contact information.

(g) Denial, cancellation or revocation.-- (1) The department may deny, cancel or revoke a communication impairment BARRIER designation if the <-- department determines:

20250SB0802PN1418 - 4 - (i) The reason for the denial, cancellation or revocation.

20250SB0802PN0850 - 4 - (ii) Instructions on how to contest the denial, cancellation or revocation through a request for an informal departmental hearing within 14 days of the date of the notice.

(2) If the department determines under subsection (g) that an individual falsely claimed a communication impairment <-- BARRIER to avoid compliance with a lawful order, the <-- individual shall be subject to the penalty under 18 Pa.C.S.

A (relating to practice and procedure of 20250SB0802PN1418 - 5 - Commonwealth agencies) and 7 Subch.

20250SB0802PN0850 - 5 - (2) The judicial review under this subsection shall:

(ii) Be limited to a determination of whether the communication impairment BARRIER designation should be <-- reinstated by the department.

(j) Qualified medical professional.--If a qualified medical professional knowingly or intentionally falsifies or misrepresents information, engages in deception or fraud or certifies a written false statement regarding an individual's communication impairment BARRIER on the application provided <-- under subsection (a):

(iv) The act of December 21, 1984 (P.L.1253, No.238), known as the Speech-Language Pathologists and 20250SB0802PN1418 - 6 - Audiologists Licensure Act.

(v) The act of December 20, 1985 (P.L.457, No.112), 20250SB0802PN0850 - 6 - known as the Medical Practice Act of 1985.

(k) Regulations.--The department shall promulgate <-- regulations necessary to implement, administer and enforce this subsection.

(K)(l) REGULATIONS.--Definitions.--As <--used (1)in INthis ORDERsection, TOthe FACILITATEfollowing THEwords PROMPTand IMPLEMENTATIONphrases OFshall THIShave SECTION,the THEmeanings DEPARTMENTgiven SHALLto PROMULGATEthem TEMPORARYin REGULATIONSthis THATsubsection SHALLunless EXPIREthe NOcontext LATERclearly THANindicates THREEotherwise: YEARS AFTER PUBLICATION OR UPON PROMULGATION OF FINAL-FORM REGULATIONS, WHICHEVER IS SOONER.

THE"Communication TEMPORARYimpairment." REGULATIONSA SHALLhealth NOTcondition BEof SUBJECTan TO:individual that may impede communication between the individual and a law enforcement officer during a traffic stop, including:

(I) SECTION 612 OF THE ACT OF APRIL 9, 1929 (P.L.177, NO.175), KNOWN AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF 1929.

(II) SECTIONS 201, 202, 203, 204 AND 205 OF THE ACT OF JULY 31, 1968 (P.L.769, NO.240), REFERRED TO AS THE COMMONWEALTH DOCUMENTS LAW.

(III) SECTION 204(B) OF THE ACT OF OCTOBER 15, 1980 (P.L.950, NO.164), KNOWN AS THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEYS ACT.