SB 419: "Eric's ID Law"

Georgia law already lets veterans with PTSD add a notation to their driver's license. This bill expands that idea to anyone with a physical or mental disability that is not immediately obvious, such as many developmental or intellectual disabilities. People could request the notation, ask to have it removed later, and the Department of Driver Services would generally be barred from sharing records about those requests except to courts, criminal justice agencies, other licensing authorities, or with the person's own written consent. The bill also directs the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council to add training on encounters with people who have non-apparent disabilities to the basic training curriculum starting in 2027. It waives license replacement fees for adding or removing the notation, requires the commissioner to consult disability advocacy groups on the notation's design, and requires public outreach about the program. It also simplifies renewal of disability identification cards for people with permanent disabilities by removing a requirement for repeated medical affidavits.

• Lets a person with a non-apparent physical or mental disability request a notation on their driver's license or identification card, and later request its removal.
• Bars the Department of Driver Services from disclosing records about notation requests except to courts, criminal justice agencies, licensing authorities, the individual, or Georgia's child support agency.
• Requires basic police training courses starting in 2027 to cover interactions with people who have non-apparent disabilities, including those with the license notation.
• Waives the license replacement fee when someone adds or removes the disability notation.
• Requires the commissioner to consult developmental and intellectual disability advocacy groups when designing the notation symbol and to run public education about it.
• Removes the requirement that people with non-obvious permanent disabilities present a new sworn medical affidavit every time they renew their disability identification card.

People with non-apparent physical or mental disabilities, including many with developmental or intellectual disabilities, who could request the new license notation. It also affects police officers and cadets who will receive new training, the Department of Driver Services, disability advocacy groups consulted on the notation's design, and the Department of Human Services in child support cases.

The notation could help police recognize during a stop that someone has a disability affecting how they communicate or respond, potentially reducing misunderstandings. The confidentiality rules mean this information generally stays private, and removing repeat-affidavit renewal requirements makes it easier for people with permanent disabilities to keep their ID cards current.

• Section 1 gives the bill the short title 'Eric's ID Law.'
• Section 2 adds Code Section 35-8-28, requiring basic police training starting in 2027 on interactions with individuals with non-apparent disabilities, administered by the training council.
• Section 3 amends O.C.G.A. § 40-5-25 to waive license replacement fees when a person adds or removes a disability notation under Code Section 40-5-38.
• Section 4 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 40-5-38 to let anyone with a non-apparent physical or mental disability request a license notation, allow its removal, restrict disclosure of related records to five specific exceptions, and require the commissioner to consult advocacy groups and run public outreach.
• Section 5 adds a definition of 'non-apparent disability' to O.C.G.A. § 40-5-170 as a disability that is not immediately obvious, including developmental and intellectual disabilities.
• Section 6 amends O.C.G.A. § 40-5-171 to let people with non-apparent disabilities use the new notation instead of the international handicapped symbol on identification cards.
• Section 7 amends O.C.G.A. § 40-5-172 to remove the requirement for repeated sworn medical affidavits when renewing identification cards for people with non-obvious permanent disabilities.

1. 2026-01-27Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-01-21Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Donzella James (D, SD-028)Primary sponsor
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Freddie Sims (D, SD-012)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)

• disability rights
• driver's licenses
• police training
• privacy protections
• identification cards