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SB46 • 2026

Motor vehicles; driver licenses; designation of certain medical conditions, provided for

Motor vehicles; driver licenses; designation of certain medical conditions, provided for

Healthcare
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Coleman (M)
Last action
2026-02-05
Official status
Read Second Time in Second House
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on how the symbol will be used or displayed, leaving some uncertainty in this area.

Driver Licenses and Medical Conditions

This bill requires the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to allow individuals to voluntarily add a symbol indicating certain medical conditions to their driver licenses or identification cards.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) to create a method for people to put a special mark on their driver licenses or ID cards if they have specific health issues.
  • Specifies that ALEA must use a symbol of the state flower, as designated by law, to show these medical conditions on the license or card.
  • Requires individuals seeking this designation to provide proof from a licensed doctor in Alabama.
  • Limits ALEA from charging extra fees just for adding the special mark to licenses or ID cards.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who have certain medical conditions and want to add a symbol to their driver license or identification card.
  • The Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency, which will be responsible for implementing this requirement.

Terms To Know

invisible medical condition
A physical or mental health issue that can affect someone's ability to communicate with emergency responders.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a person wants to remove the special mark from their license.
  • It is unclear how this new requirement will be enforced and monitored by ALEA.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

NR1AG8T-1

Public Safety and Homeland Security

Public Safety and Homeland Security 1st Substitute

Plain English: NR1AG8T-1 01/29/2026 GED (L)ma 2026-101 SUB SB46 PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY SUBSTITUTE TO SB46 OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE COLEMAN Page 1 SYNOPSIS: Existing law provides for the requirements for the contents of a driver license and nondriver identification card.

  • NR1AG8T-1 01/29/2026 GED (L)ma 2026-101 SUB SB46 PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY SUBSTITUTE TO SB46 OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE COLEMAN Page 1 SYNOPSIS: Existing law provides for the requirements for the contents of a driver license and nondriver identification card.
  • This bill would require the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to establish a method for an individual to voluntarily designate on a driver license or nondriver identification card that the individual has been diagnosed with certain medical conditions.
  • A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT Relating to motor vehicles; to amend Section 32-6-6, Code of Alabama 1975, to require the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency to establish a method for an individual to voluntarily designate on a driver license or nondriver identification card that the individual has certain medical conditions.
  • BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: Section 1.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-05 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  2. 2026-02-04 House

    Reported Out of Committee Second House

  3. 2026-02-04 House

    Public Safety and Homeland Security 1st Substitute

  4. 2026-01-22 Senate

    Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 135 (Yeas 32, Nays 0)

  5. 2026-01-22 Senate

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 32, Nays 0)

  6. 2026-01-22 House

    Pending Committee Action in Second House

  7. 2026-01-22 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security

  8. 2026-01-21 Senate

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  9. 2026-01-21 Senate

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  10. 2026-01-13 Senate

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  11. 2026-01-13 Senate

    Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on State Governmental Affairs

Official Summary Text

Motor vehicles; driver licenses; designation of certain medical conditions, provided for

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB46 INTRODUCED
Page 0
SB46
DGXEKTH-1
By Senator Coleman
RFD: State Governmental Affairs
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 09-Jan-26
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DGXEKTH-1 01/08/2026 GED (L)ma 2026-101
Page 1
PFD: 09-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
Existing law provides for the requirements for
the contents of a driver license and nondriver
identification card.
This bill would require the Alabama State Law
Enforcement Agency to establish a method for an
individual to voluntarily designate on a driver license
or nondriver identification card that the individual
has been diagnosed with certain medical conditions.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to motor vehicles; to amend Section 32-6-6,
Code of Alabama 1975, to require the Alabama State Law
Enforcement Agency to establish a method for an individual to
voluntarily designate on a driver license or nondriver
identification card that the individual has certain medical
conditions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the Driver Communication and Safety Enhancement Act.
Section 2. Section 32-6-6, Code of Alabama 1975, is
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SB46 INTRODUCED
Page 2
Section 2. Section 32-6-6, Code of Alabama 1975, is
amended to read as follows:
"§32-6-6
(a) Each driver license issued by the Alabama State Law
Enforcement Agency (ALEA) , except temporary permits or other
special circumstances as determined by the Secretary of the
Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency, shall contain a
distinguishing number assigned to the licensee and a color
photograph of the licensee, the name, birthdate, address, and
a description of the licensee ., who, for For the purpose of
identification and as a condition precedent to the validity of
the license, immediately upon receipt of the license, the
licensee shall endorse his or her usual or regular signature
upon the license in the space provided, unless a facsimile of
the licensee's signature appears on the license.
(b) A photo driver license and photo nondriver
identification card as provided in Section 32-6-4 shall have a
photo core that meets the minimum width and length dimensions
specified in ANSI standards X4.13-1971 and ANSI standard CR80,
plus or minus 1/4 inch. In addition to all current and
existing fees, the agency ALEA may charge an additional fee to
recover the cost of producing and issuing photo driver
licenses and photo nondriver identification cards. The fee may
not exceed ten cents ($.10) ($0.10) over the actual cost of
producing and issuing the license or card , including the cost
of materials, labor costs, telecommunications costs, computer
costs, postage, and any other costs incurred in producing and
issuing a license or card.
(c)(1) ALEA shall provide a method for an individual to
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SB46 INTRODUCED
Page 3
(c)(1) ALEA shall provide a method for an individual to
voluntarily designate on his or her driver license or
nondriver identification card that the individual has been
diagnosed with an invisible medical condition. ALEA shall
create a discrete symbol depicting the state flower, as
designated in Section 1-2-11(a), to place on the license or
card of the individual requesting the designation. ALEA may
not charge a fee solely for the designation.
(2) To receive the designation, the individual shall
provide proof of the diagnosis from a physician licensed to
practice medicine in this state.
(c)(d) A driver license issued to a qualifying student
described in Section 16-28-40(b) shall be exempt from any fees
under this section.
(d)(e) Revenues collected under this section shall be
used by the agency ALEA for the sole purpose of this program,
and any excess shall revert to the State General Fund at the
end of each fiscal year.
(f) For the purposes of this section, the term
"invisible medical condition" means a physical or mental
condition that may interfere with an individual's ability to
communicate with a first responder, including:
(1) A communication impediment;
(2) Hearing loss;
(3) Blindness or a visual impairment;
(4) Autism spectrum disorder;
(5) Traumatic brain injury;
(6) Schizophrenia; or
(7) A cognitive disability. "
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SB46 INTRODUCED
Page 4
(7) A cognitive disability. "
Section 3. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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