Substitute House Bill No. 7159 aims to enhance communication and support for individuals with cognitive impairments or physical disabilities by introducing yellow envelopes designed to hold essential identification and information. By January 1, 2026, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles will collaborate with advocacy groups to create these envelopes, which will include guidance for first responders on effective interactions. The bill also mandates the development of public awareness materials to be distributed at public service locations, ensuring accessibility for those in need. Additionally, it amends the responsibilities of the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity by requiring consultation with organizations advocating for individuals with cognitive impairments, physical disabilities, or autism spectrum disorder, replacing previous language that lacked this specific focus.

Furthermore, the bill establishes new training requirements for first responders, including police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel, to improve their handling of incidents involving individuals with cognitive impairments or disabilities. It mandates a minimum of 27 hours of training on juvenile matters, which will now include information about both the new yellow envelopes and existing blue envelopes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. The Department of Public Health will compile a list of approved training programs, ensuring that these resources are available at no cost. The bill also makes a technical change by replacing "firefighters" with "firefighter" in the definition section. The effective date for the training requirements and the DMV's actions regarding the yellow envelopes is set for January 1, 2026, with minimal estimated fiscal impact for production and distribution costs.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 7-294h, 7-323j
TRA Joint Favorable Substitute: 7-294h, 7-323j
File No. 562: 7-294h, 7-323j