Pennsylvania HB 1700: An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in licensing of drivers, providing for communication barrier designation; and imposing penalties.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2078 PRINTER'S NO. 3051
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1700
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY MARKOSEK, GIRAL, HILL-EVANS, PROBST, WAXMAN,
VENKAT, RIVERA, BURGOS, SANCHEZ, GUZMAN, GALLAGHER,
D. WILLIAMS, BELLMON, GILLEN, COOPER, STEELE, WARREN, GREEN,
PASHINSKI AND SCOTT, JULY 1, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MARCH 23, 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.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 1510.1. 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:
(1) A sworn statement signed by a qualified medical
professional that:
(i) Identifies the individual.
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(ii) Attests to the nature of the individual's
communication impairment BARRIER .
(2) Signature certification by the individual that the
individual:
(i) V oluntarily 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.
(4) A statement that the individual understands that the
knowing or intentional submission of false statements of
material facts, or the commission or attempt to commit
deception or fraud, on the application provided under this
subsection is subject to the penalty under 18 Pa.C.S. §
4904(b) (relating to unsworn falsification to authorities).
(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.
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(c) Removal of designation.--An individual may request at
any time the removal of a communication impairment BARRIER
designation by submitting to the department an application for
removal, created and distributed by the department, which also
involves the removal of information related to the communication
impairment 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.
(2) An individual shall pay any fees associated with the
renewal or duplication of a driver's license or
identification card.
(e) Identifier symbol.--
(1) The EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (3), THE
department shall use the stylized lowercase "i" commonly used
by the Invisible Disabilities Association as the sole
identifier symbol to indicate a communication impairment
BARRIER .
(2) The identifier symbol under this subsection:
(i) Shall be consistent in design and appearance on
all driver's licenses and identification cards for all
individuals with a communication impairment 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
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health conditions or details related to an individual's
communication impairment BARRIER .
(3) THE DEPARTMENT MAY, BY REGULATION, ADOPT THE USE OF
AN ALTERNATIVE IDENTIFIER SYMBOL, IF A NATIONAL STANDARD
IDENTIFIER SYMBOL IS DEVELOPED BY A NATIONAL DISABILITY OR
ACCESSIBILITY RIGHTS ORGANIZATION.
(f) Record sharing.--
(1) The department shall provide record sharing with law
enforcement agencies in this Commonwealth through existing
networks that can be made accessible during a traff