DRIVERS WITH DISABILITIES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

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View NCGA Bill Details2017-2018 Session
Senate Bill 327 (Public) Filed Tuesday, March 21, 2017
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR A VOLUNTARY DESIGNATION ON DRIVERS LICENSES AND REGISTRATION PLATES FOR NORTH CAROLINA RESIDENTS WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY, OR CO-OCCURRING MENTAL ILLNESS AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY AND TO REQUIRE TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ON HOW TO INTERACT WITH A PERSON THE OFFICER KNOWS OR REASONABLY SHOULD KNOW HAS A MENTAL ILLNESS, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY, OR CO-OCCURRING MENTAL ILLNESS AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY.
Intro. by Tillman.

Status: Re-ref to Transportation. If fav, re-ref to Judiciary. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate (Senate Action) (Apr 10 2017)
S 327

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Mar 21 2017 - View Summary

    Amends GS 20-7 (Issuance and renewal of drivers licenses) to direct the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to develop an electronic designation in the DMV database for driver's licenses that can be granted to state residents with a mental illness, developmental disability, or co-occurring mental illness and developmental disability upon request. Directs the DMV to consult with the Department of Public Safety and the State Highway Patrol in developing the electronic designation. Requires an applicant requesting an electronic designation under this new subsection to come to the DMV for registration. Provides for a standard transaction fee to be set by the DMV for this service. Defines mental illness and developmental disability as the terms are defined in GS 122C-3. Clarifies that the new subsection does not authorize the issuance of a driver's license to a person ineligible under GS 20-9.

    Makes technical change to a statutory reference in GS 20-63 (Registration plates furnished by the DMV) to refer to special plates authorized by GS 20-79.4 (Special registration plates) instead of GS 20-79.7 (Fees for special registration plates) concerning the qualifications for the issuance of those special plates. Further, adds new subsection (c1) to GS 20-63 providing substantively identical provisions as those added in GS 20-7 by this act to establish a mental illness and developmental disability designation for registration plates. 

    Amends GS 17C-6 (concerning the powers of the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission) and GS 17E-4 (concerning the powers of the North Carolina Sheriffs' Education and Training Standards Commission) to require the commissions to add crisis intervention training to the minimum educational and training standards that the commissions must establish for qualification for entry level employment and retention as a criminal justice officer or officer in temporary or probationary status or in a permanent position, as well as for in-service training for criminal justice officers and justice officers. Makes technical changes. Amends GS 17C-2 to define crisis intervention training to mean training for criminal justice officers on how to interact with a person the officer knows or reasonably should know has a mental illness, developmental disability, or co-occurring mental illness and developmental disability. Details four elements that crisis intervention training must include, including conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques for potentially dangerous situations involving a person who has a mental illness, developmental disability, or co-occurring mental illness and developmental disability. 

    Effective October 1, 2017.