Diacritical marks are essential to the spelling, pronunciation, and cultural background of many names and surnames. Numerous languages (including Spanish and other Latin-derived languages) use diacritical marks, yet Pennsylvania state agencies often fail to put diacritical marks on driver’s licenses and other official documents, leading to the inaccurate representation of people’s names.
 
Name inconsistencies on documents and identification can cause problems for these individuals when confirming one’s identity for rental applications, voting, or applying for services such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Every Pennsylvanian deserves to have their name respectfully acknowledged and represented accurately.
 
Therefore, I am introducing a resolution urging all state agencies to use diacritical marks on official state documents by July 1, 2027. While many state agencies already have the ability to use diacritical marks, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) does not. PennDOT has begun the process of implementing new technology to remedy this issue, but the update may not be completed until late 2025. This is far too long to wait.
 
Please join me in co-sponsoring this important resolution to respect the dignity of all Pennsylvanians.