House Bill 752
By: Representatives McQueen of the 61st, Hugley of the 141st, Beckles of the 96th, Flournoy
of the 74th, McClain of the 109th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 4 of Title 25, Code Section 31-11-52, and Chapter 8 of Title 35 of the
Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to firefighter standards and training,
certification and recertification of, and training for, paramedics and cardiac technicians, and
employment and training of peace officers, respectively, so as to provide for training on
encounters with individuals with physical, mental, or neurological conditions that impede the
ability to communicate; to amend Chapter 5 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to drivers' licenses, so as to provide for the development of a Peach
Envelope Program by the Department of Driver Services to promote effective
communication during encounters with individuals with physical, mental, or neurological
conditions that impede the ability to communicate; to provide for standards for such
program; to provide for notation of such condition upon a driver's license; to provide for a
short title; to provide for related matters; to provide for effective dates; to repeal conflicting
laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia SAFE (Support and Awareness
for Fair Encounters) Act."
SECTION 2.
Chapter 4 of Title 25 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to firefighter
standards and training, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
<ins>"25-4-10.1.
Each calendar year beginning in 2026, the basic training courses and the continued
certification courses required pursuant to this chapter shall include training on the Peach
Envelope Program established pursuant to Code Section 40-5-7 and best practices for
encounters with an individual with a physical, mental, or neurological condition that
impedes the ability to communicate."
</ins> SECTION 3.
Code Section 31-11-52 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to certification
and recertification of, and training for, paramedics and cardiac technicians, is amended by
revising subsection (b) as follows:
"(b) The department shall also adopt procedures and standards for its approval of
paramedic training courses and cardiac technician training courses <ins>which, beginning in the
calendar year 2026, shall include training on the Peach Envelope Program established
pursuant to Code Section 40-5-7 and best practices for encounters with an individual with
a physical, mental, or neurological condition that impedes the ability to communicate.</ins> The
department shall adopt such regulations after consultation with appropriate public and
private agencies and organizations concerned with medical education and the practice of
medicine. Procedures and standards adopted by the department shall be consistent with the
purposes and provisions of this chapter."
SECTION 4.
Chapter 8 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to employment and
training of peace officers, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
<ins>"35-8-28.
Each calendar year beginning in 2026, the basic training courses required pursuant to this
chapter shall include training on the Peach Envelope Program established pursuant to Code
Section 40-5-7 and best practices for encounters with an individual with a physical, mental,
or neurological condition that impedes the ability to communicate."
</ins> SECTION 5.
Chapter 5 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to drivers' licenses,
is amended by revising Code Section 40-5-7, which is designated as reserved, as follows:
"40-5-7.
<ins>The department shall, through the adoption of rules and regulations, establish a program,
to be known as the Peach Envelope Program, that promotes effective communication
between an individual with a physical, mental, or neurological condition that impedes the
individual's ability to communicate. In consultation with the Department of Behavioral
Health and Developmental Disabilities, the department shall develop best practices for
assisting peace officers and others when encountering an individual with a physical,
mental, or neurological condition that impedes the ability to communicate. The department
shall design a special envelope to hold the essential documents for a driver, including a
driver's license, proof of motor vehicle registration, proof of required motor vehicle
insurance, and an emergency contact card listing one or more individuals designated to
assist the driver with communications. The outside of such envelope shall include
communication guidelines developed pursuant to this Code section. The department shall
provide any individual who requests a special symbol on his or her driver's license pursuant
</ins>
<ins>to subsection (b) of Code Section 40-5-38 with an envelope established pursuant to this
Code section</ins> <del>Reserved."
</del> SECTION 6.
Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 40-5-38, relating to notation of
post-traumatic stress disorder, as follows:
"40-5-38.
(a) Members of the armed services and veterans who have been diagnosed with
post-traumatic stress disorder may request to have a notation of such diagnosis placed on
his or her driver's license. Such applicant shall present the department with a sworn
statement from a person licensed to practice medicine or psychology in this state verifying
such diagnosis.
(b) <ins>Any applicant with a physical, mental, or neurological condition that impedes the
applicant's ability to communicate may request to have a symbol placed upon the front of
his or her driver's license which indicates such condition. Such applicant shall present the
department with a sworn statement which includes a description of the condition or
diagnosis that impedes the ability to communicate, including whether such impediment is
temporary, intermittent, or triggered by certain events.
(c)</ins> The commissioner shall by rules and regulations establish procedures necessary to
carry out the provisions of this Code section including, without limitation, application
forms to include a waiver of liability for the release of any medical information and an
appropriate symbol to be placed on the drivers' licenses."
SECTION 7.
This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2025, for purposes of adopting rules and
regulations necessary to carry out this Act and on January 1, 2026, for all other purposes.
SECTION 8.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.