Okla. Lawmaker Files For Bill To Add Autism Marker To Identification Forms

A bill designed to help those with autism will be up for discussion in the upcoming legislative session. 

This legislation would allow people with autism to share their diagnosis on their driver's license or state ID.

Oklahoma lawmaker Nicole Miller filed House Bill 3671, adding an identifying marker on the state ID or driver's license to indicate that that person has autism.

This bill aims to help our first responders learn how to approach a situation better when coming across one. 

Miller had an interim study in October to hear from advocates and law enforcement officials and said the voluntary designation would help law enforcement better understand how to approach a situation and reduce stress for the driver and their loved ones. 

Carley Dummitt, Outreach Coordinator for the Autism Foundation of Oklahoma, was diagnosed with autism as a child and says people with autism are seven times more likely to have police interactions than a neurotypical person. 

“If my emotions are also really running high, it takes me a while to get a sentence out,” Dummitt said. “That happened to me when I was a teenager, the first time I got pulled over by a cop for speeding.” 

She says law enforcement officials call all the time asking for more training.

“People only know what they know until they know more. That's why the training in this bill is so important; one of our big passions is training first responders,” Dummitt said. 

House Bill 3671 is to be considered during the next legislative session, which kicks off on February 5.