Georgia CommonsSB 419: "Eric's ID Law"
Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds · Last action January 27, 2026 · Introduced
The text as LegiScan holds it, read from the PDF the legislature publishes with its margin line numbers, running heads, and page footers removed. Line breaks are joined into paragraphs here; no word is changed.
Underlined words are what the bill adds to current law and struck-through words are what it removes, as the printed bill shows them.
Senate Bill 419
By: Senators James of the 28th, Kemp of the 38th, Jackson of the 41st, Parent of the 44th and Sims of the 12th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 8 of Title 35 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to employment and training of peace officers, so as to provide for training in interactions with persons with non-apparent disabilities; to amend Chapter 5 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to drivers' licenses, so as to provide for the placement of a notation of a non-apparent physical or mental disability upon driver's licenses and identification cards upon request; to provide for the removal of such notation upon request; to prohibit the disclosure of information relating to such requests; to provide for exceptions; to provide for consultation about the design of such notation; to provide for public outreach; to provide for waiver of certain license fees; to provide for definitions; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; 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 "Eric's ID Law."
SECTION 2.
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:
"35-8-28.
Each calendar year beginning in 2027, the basic training courses required pursuant to this chapter shall include training in interactions with individuals with non-apparent disabilities, as such term is defined in Code Section 40-5-170, including best practices for encounters with an individual who has a disability notation on his or her driver's license or identification card. The council shall develop and administer the training required by this Code section."
SECTION 3.
Chapter 5 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to drivers' licenses, is amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 40-5-25, relating to applications, fees, and provisions for voluntary participation in various programs, as follows: "(a) Every application for an instruction permit or for a driver's license shall be made upon a form furnished by the department. Every application shall be accompanied by the proper license fee. The fees shall be as established by the Board of Driver Services, not to exceed:
(1) For instruction permits for Classes C, E, F, and M drivers' licenses and for Class D drivers' licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 10.00
(2) For five-year Classes C, E, F, and M noncommercial drivers' licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.00
(2.1) For eight-year Classes C, E, F, and M noncommercial drivers' licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32.00
(3) For application for Classes A, B, C, and M commercial drivers' licenses or a Class P commercial driver's instruction permit . . . . . 35.00
(4) For Class P commercial drivers' instruction permits for Classes A, B, C, and M commercial drivers' licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.00
(5) For up to five-year Classes A, B, C, and M commercial drivers' licenses, initial issuance requiring a road test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70.00
(5.1) For eight-year Classes A, B, C, and M commercial drivers' licenses, initial issuance requiring a road test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82.00
(6) For up to five-year Classes A, B, C, and M commercial drivers' licenses, initial issuance not requiring a road test . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.00
(6.1) For eight-year Classes A, B, C, and M commercial drivers' licenses, initial issuance not requiring a road test . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32.00
(7) For renewal of up to five-year Classes A, B, C, and M
commercial drivers' licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.00
(7.1) For renewal of eight-year Classes A, B, C, and M commercial drivers' licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32.00
(7.2) For renewal of up to five-year Classes C, E, F, and M
noncommercial drivers' licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.00
(7.3) For renewal of eight-year Classes C, E, F, and M
noncommercial drivers' licenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32.00
(8) Initial issuance of Classes A, B, C, and M commercial drivers' licenses and Class P commercial drivers' instruction permits shall include all endorsement fees within the license fee. Each
endorsement added after initial licensing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.00 The commissioner may by rule provide incentive discounts in otherwise applicable fees reflecting cost savings to the department where a license is renewed by means other than personal appearance. The discount for renewal of a Class C or Class M license and any other discounts shall be as determined by the commissioner. Except as provided in Code Section 40-5-36, relating to veterans' licenses, and Code Section 40-5-149, relating to application fees for public school bus drivers, there shall be no exceptions to the fee requirements for a commercial driver's license or a commercial driver's license permit. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code section, there shall be no fee whatsoever for replacement of any driver's license solely due to a change of the licensee's name or address or to add or remove a disability notation under Code Section 40-5-38, provided that such replacement license shall be valid only for the remaining period of such original license; and provided, further, that only one such free replacement license may be obtained within the period for which the license was originally issued. Any application for the replacement of a lost license pursuant to Code Section 40-5-31 or due to a change in the licensee's name or address submitted within 150 days of the expiration of said license shall be treated as an application for renewal subject to the applicable license fees as set forth in this subsection. The maximum period for which any driver's license shall be issued is eight years."
SECTION 4.
Said chapter is further amended by revising 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) Any applicant with a physical or mental disability which is not immediately obvious or visible may request to have a notation placed upon the front of his or her driver's license which indicates such non-apparent physical or mental disability.
(c) Any licensee with a notation placed upon his or her license pursuant to this Code section may request the removal of such notation by the department. Upon receipt of a request to remove such notation, the department shall delete any records relating to the notation and request. The department shall be prohibited from disclosing any information relating to a request for the addition or removal of a notation authorized by this Code section; provided, however, that the department shall disclose such records upon:
(1) Court order;
(2) Request from a criminal justice agency as defined in Code Section 17-17-3;
(3) Request from a driver's licensing authority;
(4) Written authorization or other waiver by the applicant or licensee or his or her authorized designee; or
(5) Request from the Department of Human Services for a matter relating to child support services.
(d) 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, and a procedure for requesting removal of a notation authorized by this Code section. The commissioner shall consult with developmental disability and intellectual disability advocacy groups for purposes of designing the notation available pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section and shall establish a program to educate the public about the availability of such notation."
SECTION 5.
Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 40-5-170, relating to definitions regarding identification cards for persons with disabilities, as follows:
"40-5-170.
As used in this article, the term:
(1) 'Disability' means any physical, mental, or neurological impairment which severely restricts a person's mobility, manual dexterity, or ability to climb stairs; substantial loss of sight or hearing; loss of one or more limbs or use thereof; or significantly diminished reasoning capacity.
(2) 'Identification card for persons with disabilities' means an identification card issued as provided in this article.
(3) 'Non-apparent disability' means a disability that is not immediately obvious or visible, including, but not limited to, developmental disabilities and intellectual disabilities.
(4) 'Permanent disability' means any disability which is permanent in nature or which is expected to continue for a period of at least five years.
(4)(5) 'Person with disabilities' means any person with a permanent or temporary disability.
(5)(6) 'Temporary disability' means any disability which is expected to continue for at least six months but less than five years."
SECTION 6.
Said chapter is further amended by revising subsection (c) of Code Section 40-5-171, relating to issuance and contents of identification cards for persons with disabilities, as follows: "(c) In addition to the information required in subsection (a) of this Code section, identification cards issued to persons with disabilities shall display the international handicapped symbol on a location designated by the department; provided, however, that with respect to non-apparent disabilities, the applicant may instead request the disability notation established pursuant to Code Section 40-5-38. The department may display the international handicapped symbol or the disability notation established pursuant to Code Section 40-5-38 on any driver's license or identification card issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter upon receipt of the required documentation from the person requesting its inclusion. With respect to requests for the non-apparent disability notation for driver's licenses, the department shall follow the procedure set forth in Code Section
40-5-38."
SECTION 7.
Said chapter is further amended by revising subparagraph (a) of Code Section 40-5-172, relating to term of card issued to person with permanent disability, issuance to person with temporary disability, and renewal, as follows:
"(a) An identification card for persons with disabilities shall be issued to a person with a permanent disability for a period of eight years and shall be renewable on the applicant's birthday in the seventh year following such issuance. Such identification cards shall be issued to persons:
(1) With obvious permanent disabilities without further verification of disability; and
(2) With disabilities which are not obvious upon presentation of the current sworn affidavit of at least one medical doctor attesting to such permanent disability. A current affidavit shall be presented at each request for renewal without further verification of disability."
SECTION 8.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.