DOTHAN, Ala. (WDNews) — Alabama lawmakers will consider a proposal next year that would allow people with certain medical or developmental conditions to place a special designation on their driver’s licenses or state ID cards to help police and first responders communicate with them more effectively.
Rep. Ontario Tillman, D-Bessemer — an attorney and former special education teacher — introduced the measure, called the Driver Communication and Safety Enhancement Act. Tillman said the change is aimed at helping people whose disabilities aren’t immediately visible, including autism, hearing loss, mental illness, traumatic brain injury, and cognitive disabilities.
Tillman said those conditions can create confusion during interactions with law enforcement, sometimes escalating encounters that should remain routine.
“Depending on the response that a person who suffers from that type of disability will have to give, especially to law enforcement, I think it can be problematic,” Tillman said.
Under the bill, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency would establish a voluntary system allowing eligible residents to request a camellia-shaped symbol — chosen to protect privacy rather than list specific conditions — on their driver’s license or non-driver ID. ALEA would be prohibited from charging a fee for the designation, though applicants would need to provide documentation from a licensed Alabama physician confirming their diagnosis.
The proposal aligns with a push from the national Invisible Disabilities Association, which has urged states to adopt similar programs. Alaska was the first to implement an invisible-disability symbol on state IDs.
Tillman, who taught and coached in Bessemer, Satsuma and Huntsville schools, said he’s seen firsthand how communication challenges can complicate emergency situations.
The bill follows a 2024 Alabama law sponsored by Rep. Leigh Hulsey, R-Helena, requiring firefighters and emergency medical responders to receive training on interacting with people who have invisible disabilities.
If passed, the designation system would be available statewide.
