House Bill 5949 would create a new optional “communication impediment” designation for Michigan motor vehicle records and driver’s licenses. The bill allows a vehicle owner or driver to submit a certification from a licensed health professional showing a communication-related condition, such as deafness, hearing loss, or autism spectrum disorder, and then elect a designation in the Secretary of State’s central file. That designation would be visible to law enforcement through the law enforcement information network during a traffic stop, while remaining excluded from the public-facing commercial lookup service.
The bill also requires the Secretary of State to create and issue, at no cost, a communication impediment decal that can be placed on a vehicle windshield or registration plate. The decal is intended to alert officers to possible communication barriers during a stop. The bill includes penalties for false statements or fraud in obtaining the designation, and it authorizes the Secretary of State to revoke a designation if it was fraudulently obtained or abused, but only after notice and an opportunity to be heard. It also makes the new decal and designation provisions applicable to both vehicle registrations and operator/chauffeur licenses, and it ties the bill’s effective date to enactment of a related companion bill, HB 5950.
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code by adding new recordkeeping, disclosure, and identification provisions for communication impediment designations on vehicle registrations and driver’s licenses. It would require the Secretary of State to maintain the designation in the central file, make it available to law enforcement through LEIN, and create a free decal program for eligible individuals. It also adds misdemeanor penalties for fraudulent certification and establishes administrative due-process protections before revocation. The bill affects vehicle owners, drivers, law enforcement agencies, and the Secretary of State’s office, while leaving the underlying registration and licensing framework in place.
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the available record. Based on the bill text alone, the proposal appears generally accommodation-oriented and public-safety focused, aiming to help officers recognize and respond appropriately to communication barriers during traffic stops. The inclusion of anti-fraud provisions and revocation authority suggests an effort to balance accessibility with enforcement concerns.
The main potential points of contention are privacy, enforcement, and eligibility. Because the designation would be visible to law enforcement through LEIN, some may view it as a useful safety tool while others may be concerned about disclosure of medical or disability-related information. Another likely issue is the scope of qualifying conditions and who may certify them, since the bill allows a range of licensed professionals to attest to a communication impediment. Law enforcement and administrative stakeholders may also focus on the fraud-prevention language, the ability to revoke abused designations, and the practical burden of implementing a new decal and database designation system.