Bill > S0740

This bill requires the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to create a special identification card and a placard for individuals who are deaf, which they can present to law enforcement officers. It also mandates the establishment of a secure database by the Department of Law Enforcement to store information from these forms, allowing officers to identify deaf individuals before detaining or arresting them. Furthermore, the bill amends existing law to ensure that law enforcement officers seek the services of a qualified interpreter before arresting or interrogating a deaf person suspected of a crime, with exceptions for emergencies, and clarifies that a family member cannot serve as an interpreter if the deaf person objects. Finally, it requires each law enforcement agency to either have an officer on call trained in American Sign Language (ASL) or contract with qualified interpreters to ensure effective communication with deaf individuals.