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2 Councilmember Trayon White, Sr.
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10 A BILL
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12 __________
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15 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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17 __________________
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19 To require the Mayor to establish standards within the Department of Motor Vehicles that
20 provide individuals with mental disabilities the option to include a classification
21 denoting cognitive impairment on their driver’s licenses or state identification
22 cards to enhance safety, facilitate communication with law enforcement and
23 emergency personnel, and ensure appropriate accommodation in various
24 situations.
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26 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
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28 act may be cited as the “Optional Cognitive Impairment Identification Act of 2024”.
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30 Sec. 2. Definitions.
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32 (a) "Mental disability" means a condition or disorder that significantly affects
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34 cognitive, emotional, or social functioning, as certified by a licensed healthcare
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36 professional.
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38 (b) "Optional classification" means a voluntary designation placed on a driver’s
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40 license or state identification card indicating that the individual has a mental disability.
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42 Sec. 3. Development of Classification.
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44 (a) The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) shall develop an optional
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46 classification for individuals with mental disabilities to be included on driver’s licenses
47 and state identification cards.
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49 (b) The classification shall be a discreet symbol, code, or phrase that does not
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51 disclose specific medical information but indicates the presence of a mental disability.
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53 (c) The DMV shall work in consultation with licensed healthcare professionals,
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55 disability advocacy groups, and law enforcement agencies to determine the most
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57 appropriate format for the classification.
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59 Sec. 4 Application Process.
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61 (a) Individuals seeking to include the classification on their driver’s license or
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63 state identification card must:
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65 (1) Submit a request to the DMV during the application or renewal
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67 process.
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69 (2) Provide a certification from a licensed healthcare professional
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71 attesting to mental disability.
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73 (b) The classification is voluntary and may be added or removed at the
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75 individual’s discretion upon submission of a written request to the DMV.
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77 Sec. 5. Fiscal impact statement.
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79 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the
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81 fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act
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83 of 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D. C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).
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85 Sec. 6. Effective date.
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87 This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto
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89 by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of
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91 congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home
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93 Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-
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95 206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the district of Columbia Register.
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